Afghanistan and Uzbekistan sign $112 million in private sector trade deals

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) announced that private sector representatives from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have signed 10 cooperation agreements valued at $112 million. The signing took place during a trade connectivity forum and a series of business-to-business (B2B) meetings held in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Photo: Ministry of Industry and Trade of Afghanistan

The event saw participation from high-ranking officials, including Mawlawi Shahabuddin Saqib, Deputy Minister of Finance and Administration, and Amanbay Orinbayev, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

During the forum, Saqib highlighted the frequency of recent high-level diplomatic exchanges, noting that the reciprocal visits reflect a period of constructive engagement and expanding economic cooperation. He specifically pointed to the complementary nature of the economies in the Balkh province of Afghanistan and the Republic of Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan. Saqib remarked that previous regional collaborations had already paved the way for multimillion-dollar agreements between private enterprises.

While specific trade data was not released, the MoIC stated that bilateral trade volumes have shown a consistent upward trend. To further promote regional commerce, an exhibition featuring a wide array of Uzbek-made products was launched in Mazar-i-Sharif on the sidelines of the forum, allowing local entrepreneurs to explore new supply chains and investment opportunities.