Kazakhstan has signed a major zinc ore supply agreement with an Afghan company as the two countries continue to expand economic cooperation and trade ties.

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, the contract was signed between Kazakhstan’s ShalkiyaZinc and Afghanistan’s Afghan German Bakhtar Company during the opening of the Kazakhstan Trade House in Kabul.

The signing took place as part of an official business mission led by Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, Serik Zhumangarin.

Under the agreement, Afghan German Bakhtar Company will supply approximately 30,000 tons of zinc ore annually on DAP (Delivered at Place) terms. The ore will be used as raw material for the production facilities of Kazakhstan’s Kazzinc. The total value of the contract is estimated at $18.88 million.

The deal marks a significant step in diversifying trade relations between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, moving beyond traditional agricultural exports into the mining and industrial sectors.

“Afghanistan today is a market of opportunities,” said Kanat Kudaibergen, Chairman of the Board of GWM Capital LTD. He noted that while Kazakhstan’s exports to Afghanistan have historically consisted mainly of flour, grain, sunflower oil, and other agricultural products, demand is increasingly growing for machinery, equipment, and service solutions in agriculture, construction, and mining.

Kudaibergen expressed confidence that the newly established Trade House in Kabul would serve as an important platform for developing new business projects and expanding Kazakhstan’s non-resource exports.

The agreement follows recent discussions between Kazakh officials and Afghanistan’s leadership, including Prime Minister Mohammad Hasan Akhund and Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, during which Kazakhstan expressed interest in sourcing zinc ore from Afghanistan.

Preparations for the deal began last year when specialists from Tau-Ken Samruk visited Afghanistan’s Bamyan province to assess the Pami-Kakrak zinc deposit. Samples collected during the visit were later analyzed by Kazzinc, which confirmed the feasibility of processing the ore at Kazakh facilities.

Economic relations between the two countries have been steadily strengthening. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy reported that bilateral trade reached $541.8 million in 2025. Both governments have set an ambitious target of increasing annual trade turnover to $3 billion in the coming years.

Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), has traveled to India to participate in the Bharat Buildcon International Exhibition, one of the country’s largest construction and infrastructure expos.

The event brought together officials and business representatives from more than 80 countries, showcasing agricultural, industrial, and construction products across 350 exhibition booths.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, Hashemi held meetings with Indian and international investors, business leaders, and private sector representatives to discuss expanding economic cooperation and investment opportunities in Afghanistan.

He highlighted Afghanistan’s vast reserves of construction raw materials and mineral resources, encouraging Indian and international companies to invest in the country’s mining, construction, and manufacturing sectors.

Accompanied by Afghanistan’s Ambassador to India, Noor Ahmad Noor, and Health Attaché Sayed Emad Hashemi, the ACCI chairman also visited the booths of several leading global companies.

During his visit, Hashemi toured a major traditional medicine manufacturer and emphasized the importance of expanding bilateral trade in medicinal herbs and agricultural products between Afghanistan and India.

He noted that growing demand for construction materials, combined with Afghanistan’s abundant natural resources, positions the country as an attractive destination for foreign investment, particularly from Indian companies.