Acting deputy prime minister of the interim government of Afghanistan for economic affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar visited Uzbekistan on 22−23 February.
The Afghan delegation included representatives from the ministries of industry and trade, mining and oil, transport and civil aviation, agriculture, irrigation and livestock, as well as the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance.
Photo: UzA.
At Tashkent airport, Baradar was welcomed by deputy prime minister Jamshid Khodjayev, the president’s special representative for Afghanistan Ismatulla Ergashev and the head of Afghanistan’s diplomatic mission in Tashkent Abdula Ghaffar Teravi.
Prime minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov held bilateral negotiations with him on 22 February, the government’s press service announced.
Photo: Gov.uz.
The prime minister emphasized that president Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid special attention to developing constructive and mutually beneficial ties with Afghanistan in all areas.
As part of the visit, the Afghan delegation will also familiarize itself with the operations of several industrial enterprises in Tashkent.
What was discussed
Photo: UzA.
According to TOLO News, Baradar met with deputy prime minister Jamshid Khodjayev on the first day of the visit to discuss strengthening trade and transit relations, as well as the creation of joint trade zones.
During the meeting, he emphasized the need for the swift launch of the Trans-Afghan railway project and the 500 kV “Surkhan to Pul-e-Khumri” power transmission line from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan.
UzA reported that, the parties also discussed the use of national currencies in mutual settlements, agreements on hydrocarbon and mineral resources, opportunities for Uzbek business investments in Afghanistan and ensuring favorable conditions for foreign investors.
Jamshid Khodjayev confirmed that Uzbek entrepreneurs were ready to invest in key sectors of Afghanistan, including oil and gas exploration and extraction, industrial development and the construction of a cement plant in Samangan province.
Photo: UzA.
It was noted that significant progress was already made in the exploration of the Toti Maydon gas field, and drilling operations would commence soon. Previously, it was reported that the company Eriell KAM signed a contract for the development of a gas field in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan was expected to invest $100 million annually in the project over the next 25 years and also process the extracted gas.
Baradar called the visit productive, noting that agreements were reached on several key issues, including trade expansion, electricity imports, the export of Afghan agricultural products, transport infrastructure development and railway construction.
According to him, the cost of the power transmission line construction project was reduced from $252 million to $222 million.
“Several meetings were held with relevant ministers in the areas of trade, energy, aviation, agriculture and railway transport. Further progress is possible in these areas,” TOLO News quoted Baradar.
It was also announced that a technical delegation from Uzbekistan would visit Afghanistan for preliminary studies on the Hairatan-Herat railway project.
Afghanistan’s acting minister of industry and trade Nooruddin Azizi stressed the decline in Afghan exports to Uzbekistan. According to him, the parties agreed on “trade balance and preferential trade agreements” during the visit
Discussions also covered the development of banking cooperation, tax reductions on Afghan exports to Uzbekistan and the establishment of joint trade centers.
“This preferential agreement will reduce customs duties to zero for ten Afghan goods, as well as for ten Uzbek goods that Afghanistan needs,” Azizi said.
