Uzbekistan, Afghanistan move to fast-track preferential trade deal

The announcement was made by Jamshid Khodjaev, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, in a post on LinkedIn following talks with Nuriddin Azizi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce. The talks were held via videoconference.

During the meeting, the sides discussed practical measures to deepen trade and economic cooperation and preparations for an upcoming visit by an Afghan delegation to Uzbekistan.

Khodjaev emphasized that Uzbekistan values its “friendly and constructive relations” with Afghanistan. Over the past five years, bilateral trade has increased 2.5-fold – from $653 million in 2021 to $1.7 billion in 2025. The two countries have set a joint target of raising trade turnover to $5 billion.

The parties also reviewed the development of interregional ties and infrastructure aimed at promoting goods, including the establishment of showrooms and warehouses. Discussions covered industrial cooperation in agricultural processing, construction materials and textiles, as well as initiatives related to food security.

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan agreed to accelerate the implementation of the preferential trade agreement and to advance joint projects in investment and industrial cooperation.

Following the holy month of Ramadan, the sides plan to continue practical engagement by holding a business forum in Kabul and adopting a roadmap outlining priority areas of cooperation.

In June 2025, Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, held talks with Azizi. The parties signed the preferential trade agreement and a cooperation program in trade, economic and industrial spheres for 2025–2026.

Earlier, in mid-January, Oybek Usmanov, Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, stated that the agreement would enter into force within two weeks.

“Negotiations are currently ongoing between the ministries of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan regarding the entry into force of the preferential trade agreement. God willing, it will become operational within two weeks,” he said during an open dialogue with the business community.

According to the National Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan ranked sixth among Uzbekistan’s largest trading partners in 2025, after China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey and South Korea. Trade turnover with the Islamic republic rose by 47.4% over the past year – from $1.13 billion to $1.67 billion.