Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Integration, Serik Zhumangarin, unveiled his government’s trade plans with Afghanistan and said the ambition goal will result in a sturdy trade volume.
“We cooperate and trade with Afghanistan. The trade volume amounts to 1 billion US dollars, which is more compared to the trade with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Politics is politics, and economy is economy. We plan to ramp up this trade cooperation. There are real prospects for delivering wheat, flour, and seed oil there [to Afghanistan]. Why should we refuse this opportunity?” said Zhumangarin on the sidelines of a government meeting on Tuesday.
“We have already opened a trading house (office) of Kazakhstan there and appointed our representative who will coordinate all this work, because Afghanistan is a big and diverse country. We need to study the market and familiarize ourselves with local business communities. I want to invite Afghan businessmen here and hold a business forum, to enable them to see Kazakhstan and our opportunities. Afghanistan is a rich country from the viewpoint of subsoil use (farming),” said Zhumangarin.
Earlier this month, the Kazakh ministry of foreign affairs’ spokesman, Aibek Smadyarov, said Kazakhstan planned to open a trade office in Afghanistan’s Herat province. He also said that Kazakhstan would accept Taliban diplomats, although this would not mean his government was officially recognizing the new government.
