Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan develops

Meetings were held in Kabul with the Acting Prime Minister of the country Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister of the interim government for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy for Political Affairs Abdul Kabir and Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi.

During the talks, it was emphasized that our relations are based on friendship, cooperation, and good neighborliness. Uzbekistan considers Afghanistan an inseparable and integral part of Central Asia.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that achieving positive results is impossible without establishing an international dialogue with the current government of Afghanistan. A special resolution of the UN General Assembly, adopted in 2022 on the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, states that Afghanistan plays a special role in establishing ties between Central and South Asia.

In this regard, Uzbekistan was one of the first to establish a constructive and mutually acceptable dialogue with the interim government of Afghanistan.

At the meetings, views were exchanged on developing trade relations based on these principles, bringing cooperation in the energy sector to a qualitatively new stage. In particular, the discussion focused on the joint development of copper, iron, oil, and gas production, deepening relations in transport and logistics, agricultural and water management, educational spheres, and interregional relations.

The possibility of increasing the volume of trade turnover to 1 billion dollars and, in the future, to 3 billion dollars was emphasized. This requires the practical use of unused resources based on mutual interests.

The opinion was approved that support for bilateral investment and the creation of preferential zones will serve as an impetus for expanding trade and economic partnership.

The parties also considered other issues related to the possibility of regularly continuing mutually beneficial dialogue and developing relations through joint actions.

Several documents were signed during the visit.