Baradar: Islamic Emirate Delegation’s Visit to Uzbekistan Fruitful
A high-ranking delegation of the Islamic Emirate, led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, returned to Kabul (Sunday, February 23) after a two-day visit to Uzbekistan.
Mullah Baradar described the visit as productive, stating that during negotiations with Uzbek officials, agreements were reached on expanding trade, importing electricity, exporting Afghanistan’s agricultural products, developing transportation, and constructing a railway in Afghanistan.
He noted that as a result of discussions with Uzbek officials, the cost of the 500-kilovolt transmission line project was reduced from $252 million to $222 million.
Regarding this, Mullah Baradar said: “Several meetings were held with relevant ministers in the fields of trade, electricity, aviation, agriculture, and railways, and there is a possibility of further progress in these areas.”
The deputy prime minister for economic affairs also announced that a technical delegation from Uzbekistan would visit Afghanistan for preliminary studies on the Hairatan-Herat railway project.
Meanwhile, Nooruddin Azizi, acting minister of industry and commerce, pointed out the decline in Afghanistan’s exports to Uzbekistan and stated that during this visit, both sides agreed on balancing trade and preferential trade agreements.
He added that discussions were held to facilitate trade activities between the two countries, including banking cooperation, reducing taxes on Afghan exports to Uzbekistan, and establishing joint trade centers.
The acting minister of industry and commerce said: “This is a preferential agreement that will reduce customs tariffs on ten Afghan goods to zero and will also include ten Uzbek goods needed by Afghanistan.”
During a meeting with Uzbekistan’s deputy prime minister, Mullah Baradar stressed that Afghanistan and Uzbekistan share historical, religious, and cultural ties, which have positively influenced the expansion of relations between the two countries.
