Uzbekistan pledges to buy 100,000 tonnes of Afghan cotton during Kabul visit

Uzbekistan has pledged to buy 100,000 tonnes of Afghan cotton and expand trade, transport and investment cooperation during a high-level visit to Kabul led by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojaev on Sunday.

Uzbekistan highlights growing trade

Meeting Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan at the Arg Palace, Khojaev said Afghanistan remains a priority in Uzbekistan's foreign policy and that the delegation's visit was intended to turn previous commitments into practical projects.

Summarising the purpose of the visit, Khojaev said, "The purpose of the visit by the high-level Uzbek delegation, comprising ministers, deputy ministers, business leaders, and investors, was to strengthen the economic and political relations between the two countries."

He added, "Under the directives of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the primary objective of the visit by the high-level delegation is to commence the practical implementation of commitments made in the fields of investment and trade, enabling both countries to realise tangible outcomes."

According to the Arg Palace, Khojaev said Afghanistan exported U.S.$150 million worth of goods to Uzbekistan last year, while exports have reached U.S.$111 million since the beginning of the current solar year. He also said Uzbekistan had issued 5,000 visas to Afghan nationals, adding that the move reflects expanding economic ties between the two countries.

Prime Minister Hassan welcomed the delegation, saying, "The visit of the high-level Uzbek delegation and the expansion of economic relations represent a strong indication of Uzbekistan's confidence in Afghanistan's future." He added that Afghanistan "remains fully committed to implementing the commitments that have been made."

Transport cooperation expands

Separately, Afghanistan's Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Mohammad Fazil Mazloom, met Uzbekistan's Transport Minister, Ilkhom Makhkamov Rustamovich. According to Afghanistan's Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, the two sides agreed to establish a joint technical team to improve transport and transit facilitation, while the Uzbek minister pledged additional measures to increase the movement of Afghan transit vehicles into Uzbekistan.

Cotton deal and Trans-Afghan project

Khojaev also met officials from Afghanistan's State-Owned Companies Authority and the National Development Company. According to the authority, he announced that Uzbekistan would purchase 100,000 tonnes of cotton from Afghan farmers, help supply chemical fertilisers and improved seeds, continue work on the Trans-Afghan railway project, and support infrastructure investment.

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News Afghanistan Uzbekistan Trade Jamshid Khojaev