Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar, met with Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov in Baku to discuss expanding trade and developing the Lapis Lazuli transport corridor.
Baradar highlighted the importance of keeping the Lapis Lazuli Corridor operational and overcoming challenges to enhance trade and transit between Afghanistan and neighbouring countries.
The corridor is a regional trade and transit route linking Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye. Georgia officially joined the initiative in 2017.
The route starts in Afghanistan, passes through Turkmenbashi Port in Turkmenistan, crosses the Caspian Sea to Baku, continues through Tbilisi, and reaches Türkiye, creating a direct connection to European markets.
He called on Azerbaijan to invest in key sectors including oil and gas extraction, railway expansion, and renewable energy development such as solar and wind power.
The Afghan deputy prime minister also requested cooperation in agricultural mechanisation, water management, public service programmes, demining, and vocational training.
In response, Prime Minister Asadov praised Afghanistan’s rich cultural heritage and expressed eagerness to deepen relations through the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and bilateral partnerships. He welcomed Afghanistan’s rapid economic progress and reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s commitment to joint work in trade, investment and economic cooperation.
Asadov proposed reactivating the Joint Economic Commission to further expand collaboration. He also noted Azerbaijan’s priority on the Lapis Lazuli route and pledged support for implementing ministerial decisions on transport.
The two leaders confirmed a trilateral working group between Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan is active, with meetings scheduled to continue.
Azerbaijan also pledged support for the transit of Afghan coal through its territory to Türkiye, easier visa procedures for Afghan traders, scholarships for Afghan students, capacity-building programmes and assistance with Afghan prisoners in Azerbaijan.
Both sides described the talks as a valuable step toward enhancing political and economic relations and committed to continuing practical cooperation in the highlighted areas.
U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to make the Strait of Hormuz part of U.S. territory have been mocked by Iran's Deputy Foreign Ministe...
Iran says the U.S. war and military presence in the region have worsened marine pollution around the Strait of Hormuz, calling for environmental pr...
Jason Arday, the former University of Cambridge professor at the centre of a plagiarism row, has been found dea...
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or rerouted at Catania Airport over the past week as ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption continues to disrupt air travel in Sicily.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
The United Nations has urged sustained international engagement with Afghanistan five years into Taliban rule, warning that restrictions on women and terrorism concerns risk undermining gains from improved security.
Iran says the U.S. war and military presence in the region have worsened marine pollution around the Strait of Hormuz, calling for environmental protection to form part of future arrangements governing the strategic waterway.
Georgia could gain a direct electricity link to Europe under plans for a new overland energy corridor connecting Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye and Bulgaria, potentially reshaping regional power flows.
Türkiye has unveiled plans for joint military exercises and defence production with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan under a new security pact that includes a collective defence clause.
Uzbekistan will allow eligible businesses to operate for up to three months without a licence or permit under a new regime aimed at cutting barriers to market entry and attracting investment.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment