Private sector representatives from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth more than $20mn during a joint trade meeting in Kabul, according to Ariana news agency.
The agreement was signed during a business forum organized by the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), which brought together dozens of entrepreneurs and trade officials from both sides.
Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan, praised the strengthening trade relationship.
“Trade and economic relations between Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries — especially the Republic of Uzbekistan — have reached an unprecedented level, rarely seen in history,” he said.
Azizi emphasized the importance of continued private sector engagement to boost trade volumes and address trade imbalances.
Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Kabul reaffirmed his country’s interest in deepening bilateral trade and outlined plans to increase total trade turnover to $2bn in the coming years.
Business representatives called on both governments to strengthen consular support, including long-term, multiple-entry visas for businesspeople, and to expedite the signing of the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement.
Officials from the Uzbekistan Exporters’ Chamber noted that trade relations between the two countries continue to expand, with several commercial agreements already signed under the growing partnership.
ACCI also proposed the creation of a regional joint chamber that could help connect Afghanistan to European markets and called on the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to prioritize this initiative.
In the first five months of 2025, Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover with Afghanistan rose sharply to $622mn, up from $382.1mn in the same period of 2024 and $329.3mn in 2023.
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