Afghan authorities seek wider foreign investment and cooperation

Afghan authorities in Kabul and Herat have sought wider investment, trade and environmental cooperation with Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran and an international aid organisation.

 

Minister of Mines and Petroleum Hedayatullah Badri met Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Kabul, Oybek Usmanov, on Sunday, to discuss investment in Afghanistan’s mineral resources and wider economic relations.

The ministry said Uzbek investors had shown interest in the sector and that concerns surrounding the Toti Maidan Project were also raised.

It said Badri had offered support for foreign investors, adding, “The Minister of Mines and Petroleum welcomed the interest of Uzbek investors in Afghanistan’s mining sector and reaffirmed the Ministry’s full cooperation and support to attract, encourage and facilitate foreign investment in the country.”

Russian business delegation

Separately, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) said its chairman and leadership had met a joint Russian and Kazakh delegation.

The chamber said Afghanistan had opportunities in mining, agriculture, manufacturing and industry. It added, “The delegation expressed strong interest in Afghanistan’s investment potential and announced that more than 100 Russian entrepreneurs are interested in visiting the country to explore partnerships.”

Trade through Islam Qala

In Herat, Governor Noor Ahmad Islamjar and Gholam Hossein Mozaffari, governor of Iran’s Khorasan Razavi Province, discussed easing cargo movement through the Dogharoon–Islam Qala border crossing.

According to the Herat governor’s office, Islamjar also called for better facilities for Afghan truck drivers in Iran and the removal of transportation obstacles.

Environmental cooperation

The National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) also asked Solidarités International to coordinate future projects with the agency and focus on remote and climate-vulnerable areas.

The agency said, “She pledged that the organisation’s future environmental programmes and activities would be designed and implemented in coordination and consultation with the agency.”

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News Politics Afghanistan Investments regional cooperation Central Asia Kabul Russia Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Trade