During the Afghan-Uzbek Joint Business Forum, 22 trade agreements worth more than $200 million were signed between private-sector representatives from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce said the agreements are aimed at strengthening economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries.
The ministry added that the signing ceremony was attended by Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Jamshid Khodjaev, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan; the Ministers of Mines and Petroleum and Transport; the governors of Fergana and Tashkent; representatives of sectoral chambers; and a number of investors and business leaders from both countries.
Speaking at the event, Nooruddin Azizi said the visit of the high-level Uzbek delegation, which includes 300 private-sector representatives, provides a significant opportunity to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and expand economic relations between Kabul and Tashkent. He also expressed hope that bilateral trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan would increase to $5 billion.
The Minister further noted that Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have broad potential for joint investment and called on investors from both countries to take advantage of the available investment opportunities in Afghanistan.
Mr. Azizi also highlighted that around 10,000 tons of Afghan cotton have been exported to Uzbekistan as part of a pilot program, adding that Uzbekistan has committed to purchasing 100,000 tons of Afghan cotton.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev emphasized the importance of expanding bilateral relations and said that the establishment of new transit routes, implementation of preferential tariffs, acceleration of goods transportation, and development of logistics centers are among the measures being pursued to facilitate trade between the two countries.
He further described Afghanistan’s economic potential as an important factor in expanding bilateral trade cooperation and stressed the continuation of joint efforts to enhance economic ties between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.