Uzbekistan to invest in coal, electricity, and cement production in Afghanistan

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov, embarked on a diplomatic mission to Kabul on March 12, engaging in a series of significant meetings and negotiations with officials of the interim government of Afghanistan.

As per to a message from the telegram channel of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Saidov held discussions with several key figures within the Afghan interim government, including Acting Prime Minister H.E. Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Acting Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, and Acting Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, among others.

The agenda of these meetings covered a wide range of topics, emphasizing cooperation and collaboration between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan across various sectors. Particularly highlighted was the aim to bolster economic ties and create favorable conditions for enhanced engagement between the business communities of both nations. 

During discussions with the Acting Prime Minister, Saidov expressed plans to invest in various sectors in Afghanistan, including the establishment of a cement factory, coal extraction initiatives, and the generation of 200 megawatts of electricity from coal, as disclosed by Khaama Press.

A meeting of the working committees of the delegations from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan was convened at the same day on March 12, as reported by Taliban state television. Representatives from Afghanistan's Ministries of Mining, Industry and Trade, as well as the Electric Power Company, Railways, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, engaged in fruitful discussions with a delegation from Uzbekistan, comprising representatives and advisers from various sectors such as mining, trade, and electric power.

The meeting focused on enhancing inter-ministerial relations between the two countries and addressing pertinent issues. Of particular interest was the discussion on opportunities and challenges related to oil and coal mining.

Earlier Daryo reported that Uzbekistan is considering collaboration with China Nuclear Uranium Co. to exploit black shale uranium reserves. According to Rustam Ergashev, who heads the investment projects department at Navoiyuran, there's a rising interest in atomic energy, constituting 11% of global electricity demand.