Afghanistan and Uzbekistan signed 22 trade agreements worth more than $200 million during a business forum in Kabul on Sunday, as officials from both countries pledged to deepen economic cooperation and expand trade and investment.
The agreements were signed between private sector representatives during the Afghan-Uzbek Business Forum, according to Afghanistan's Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC).
The event was attended by Afghanistan's Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister, Jamshid Khodjaev, along with ministers, governors and business representatives from both countries.
Addressing the forum, Azizi said the visit by Uzbekistan's delegation reflected the growing relationship between the two neighbouring countries.
Summarising his remarks, the ministry said Azizi highlighted the size of the Uzbek delegation and the opportunities for closer economic ties. He said: "Relations between the two countries had reached a new high with the visit of Uzbekistan's high-level delegation, accompanied by around 300 private sector representatives." He added that he hoped bilateral trade would reach $5 billion through stronger commercial cooperation.
Azizi also encouraged businesses from both countries to invest in Afghanistan, saying investment would help create jobs following the return of Afghan migrants.
The ministry said around 10,000 tonnes of Afghan cotton had been exported to Uzbekistan on a trial basis and that Uzbekistan had committed to purchasing 100,000 tonnes of Afghan cotton.
According to the ministry, Khodjaev welcomed the expansion of bilateral ties and said: "Measures to facilitate trade include opening new transport routes, offering preferential tariffs, accelerating cargo movement, and establishing logistics centres." He added that Afghanistan had significant potential to contribute to regional trade and economic cooperation.
Separately, Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said Minister Hedayatullah Badri met Khodjaev and his delegation to discuss expanding cooperation in the mining sector.
Summarising the outcome of the meeting, the ministry said both sides reviewed the implementation of the Kundalan Copper Mine exploration agreement and the Toti Maidan Gas Project.
It added: "Both sides emphasized the importance of further expanding investment in Afghanistan's mining sector and strengthening joint economic cooperation between the two countries."
The meetings form part of ongoing efforts by Afghanistan and Uzbekistan to increase trade, investment and regional economic connectivity.
Kazakhstan and Germany have agreed to expand cooperation in critical minerals, industry, energy and transport, with Astana seeking a greater German...
Global cholera deaths reached their highest annual level in more than 20 years in 2025, despite a decline in reported cases, according to the World...
Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has proposed building a new 1,000-megawatt nuclear power unit in Armenia as Yerevan weighs competing inte...
A Russian guided aerial bomb has struck an apartment building in Kharkiv, injuring 22 people, including children, according to the city’s mayor. The strike follows a day of near-continuous Russian attacks across Ukraine that killed at least five people.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
The European Union's decision to simultaneously advance accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania marks its most ambitious enlargement effort in more than two decades.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
Kazakhstan and Germany have agreed to expand cooperation in critical minerals, industry, energy and transport, with Astana seeking a greater German role in developing supply chains and higher-value production.
Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has proposed building a new 1,000-megawatt nuclear power unit in Armenia as Yerevan weighs competing international offers, its head Alexey Likhachev said on Tuesday.
Freight on the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway could soon move faster across borders after Georgia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye signed a new customs protocol aimed at cutting delays and streamlining transit.
Afghanistan and Belarus have agreed to expand health cooperation, with a focus on medicines, medical equipment and training healthcare workers, following talks between the two countries’ health ministers in Minsk on Tuesday (29 September).
Saudi Arabia is facing a widening security challenge from Yemen as Houthi forces consolidate recent territorial gains along the Red Sea coast and step up attacks on the kingdom.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment