Afghan, Uzbek Traders Discuss Expanding Trade in Balkh

Traders and industrialists from Balkh held a business meeting in Mazar-e-Sharif with an 80-member delegation from Uzbekistan’s private sector.

Increasing exports, ensuring secure money transfers, expanding trade relations and creating opportunities for joint investment were among the main topics discussed at the meeting.

Samples of Uzbek products were also displayed to promote them in the Afghan market.

Mohammad Ibrahim Ghazanfar, head of the Balkh Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said: “A new platform called UzEx has been established in cooperation with Ghazanfar Bank to provide secure money transfers for traders. Once the goods reach Hairatan port, the money is transferred to Uzbekistan.”

Yarkin Jan Malikov, head of the Uzbekistan Exporters Association, said: “Uzbek industrialists who have come to Afghanistan are pleased and confident in the quality of their products. I hope economic relations between the two countries will expand further.”

Traders from both countries say face-to-face meetings are important for attracting joint investment, increasing exports and making better use of the two countries’ economic potential.

Abdul Qadir Aka, an Uzbek trader, said: “We import high-quality goods from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a good market for Uzbek products, and we are working to increase our exports to this country.”

Ismatullah Ishaqzai, an Afghan trader, said: “Uzbekistan is a gateway for us to Central Asia. It has high-quality products in various sectors, including construction materials.”

In recent years, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have focused on expanding trade and economic relations, increasing exports and imports, and strengthening transport cooperation.

Traders from the two countries have also held various meetings aimed at expanding these ties.