Private sector representatives from Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday signed trade memorandums of understanding worth more than $156 million at a business conference in Kabul, the Taliban-run Ministry of Industry and Commerce said.
The agreements were signed during the “Afghan–Kyrgyz Trade Connectivity Conference,” held alongside a visiting Kyrgyz delegation, according to a ministry statement.
The deals cover sectors including gold, pharmaceuticals, footwear, telecommunications, mining and energy, logistics and transport, agriculture, construction and banking, the statement said.
Bilateral meetings between traders and investors were also held on the sidelines of the conference, with representatives from both countries presenting investment opportunities.
Taliban Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi said the meeting marked an important step toward expanding economic cooperation, describing Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan as strategically complementary.
“Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan complement each other — one serving as a gateway to Central Asia and Eurasian Economic Union markets, and the other linking South and West Asia,” Azizi said.
He said the signing of a trade cooperation roadmap and agreements provided a practical framework for bilateral trade and highlighted the recent opening of a Kyrgyz Trade House in Kabul as a platform to connect businesses.
Azizi added that they also plan to open a trade house in Kyrgyzstan to help identify opportunities, address challenges and accelerate commercial engagement.
Kyrgyz Economy and Commerce Minister Bekit Sydykov said both sides should expand joint investment, transit cooperation and bilateral trade, citing the countries’ strategic positions in the region.
The agreements come as Afghanistan’s main trade crossings with Pakistan have remained closed for more than two months, prompting the Taliban to seek alternative trade routes and partners.
