Afghanistan and Uzbekistan investors signed 25 commercial agreements worth more than $300 million at a business conference in Kabul aimed at expanding trade between the two countries, the Taliban-run Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement on Tuesday.
The agreements were reached during a trade connectivity conference attended by Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban’s minister of commerce and industry; Erkinjon Turdimov, governor of Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya region; Mohammad Alam Jamil, the Taliban deputy economy minister; and representatives of Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Investment, along with businessmen from both countries.
According to the ministry, the deals span sectors including construction, food products, agriculture, furniture, clothing and pharmaceuticals.
Azizi said there was political will on both sides to deepen economic ties and described trade relations in recent years as having expanded significantly. He said trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan had increased in 2025 compared with 2024 and pointed to what he called substantial untapped potential for further cooperation.
The ministry also referred to a preferential trade understanding covering eight export items from Afghanistan and six export items from Uzbekistan, though it did not specify the goods involved.
Turdimov spoke about historical and economic ties between the two countries and said about 30 Afghan traders were currently active in Syrdarya Province. He emphasized joint industrial activities and new practical projects, and highlighted investment opportunities in Uzbekistan, including exports to European markets. He encouraged traders from both sides to discuss proposals and expand cooperation.
Other speakers included Sayed Karim Hashemi, chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, and Lal Mohammad Wali Zada, head of sustainable development goals at the Taliban-run Economy Ministry.
The ministry did not provide a breakdown of the individual agreements or a timeline for their implementation.
