Uzbekistan and Taliban signed 35 economic and investment cooperation agreements worth approximately $2.5 billion during a visit by Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov to Kabul, according to a Taliban statement.
The agreements include $1.4 billion in investment deals and $1.1 billion in trade agreements, marking the first visit by an Uzbek prime minister to Kabul since the Taliban’s return to power.
The agreements cover a wide range of sectors, including energy, mining, transportation, agriculture, and education.
Both sides also inaugurated a joint exhibition of products from Uzbek and Afghan manufacturers in Kabul.
Additionally, discussions were held about a joint cement production project with a capacity of one million tons per year.
Uzbekistan has been actively engaging with Afghanistan, despite international isolation of the Taliban, and seeks to expand cooperation, especially in economic areas.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of dialogue with the Taliban, stating that no positive outcomes can be achieved without international engagement.
Uzbekistan shares a 144-kilometer border with Afghanistan, and the two nations have seen growing economic ties in recent years.
However, security concerns persist, particularly related to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which has weakened since the Taliban’s rise to power but remains a potential threat.
