KABUL — Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy chief minister for economic affairs, has extended a formal invitation to Rustam Minnikhanov, the president of Tatarstan, to visit Kabul as part of an effort to deepen economic and diplomatic ties between the two sides, according to a Taliban statement.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 16th Kazan International Economic Forum, held under the theme “Russia and the Islamic World,” Baradar’s office said in a statement on Thursday.
During the talks, Baradar urged Tatarstan’s government and business leaders to invest in Afghanistan’s oil and gas sectors, infrastructure, and railways. He reiterated the Taliban’s professed commitment to an “independent, balanced, positive and economy-centered” foreign policy and emphasized their interest in fostering relations with all countries.
The Taliban described the Kazan forum as a vital platform for strengthening political and economic partnerships with Islamic nations, claiming that Afghanistan’s current security and investment climate is conducive to foreign capital. They also pledged cooperation and protection for prospective investors.
Minnikhanov, in comments shared by Taliban officials, reportedly welcomed the Taliban delegation’s presence at the forum and announced plans to dispatch a trade delegation to Kabul to explore opportunities for expanding commercial cooperation.
He added that trade relations between Tatarstan and Afghanistan have already begun and that his administration is ready to elevate bilateral exchanges.
Separately, the head of KamAZ, a major Russian truck manufacturer based in Tatarstan, expressed interest in expanding the export of freight and firefighting vehicles to Afghanistan. He said a market assessment mission would be conducted in the near future.
Tatarstan’s minister of agriculture and food also stated that his government is prepared to increase exports of halal-certified food products to Afghanistan.
