First Afghanistan-Russia trade forum inaugurated

KABUL (Pajhwok): The first Afghanistan-Russia trade forum was inaugurated on the sidelines of the 16th Kazan World Economic Forum on Friday in Russia.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs wrote on its X-Page that Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Russian Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Alexey Overchuk inaugurated the first Afghanistan-Russia trade forum.

Speaking on the occasion, Mullah Baradar said political stability had strengthened in Afghanistan, economic activities developed, trade expanded, and foreign investors were willing to invest in various sectors in addition to domestic investors in Afghanistan following the return of the Islamic Emirate.

He added that large and small projects concerning various sectors had been launched to rebuild the country.

He said apart from launching infrastructure projects, the Islamic Emirate also paid attention to the development of trade and wanted to provide opportunities for Afghanistan’s exports to the region and other countries.

Mullah Baradar said: “The Islamic Emirate is ready to build the second Salang Tunnel to expand trade and transit with Russia and Central Asia” He requested cooperation of the Russian Federation in this regard.

He once again emphasized Afghanistan’s participation in the North-South Corridor, as well as the cooperation of the Russian Federation in the launch and implementation of the Trans Afghan Railway project, and said: “We are interested in Afghanistan playing an effective role in strengthening this corridor and regional economic connectivity.”

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei said that Russia favored a stable and developed Afghanistan because it was in the interest of the entire region.

He added: “The situation in Afghanistan is improving, and the participation of high-ranking delegation of the Islamic Emirate in the 16th Kazan Forum has proven that Afghans want to live in peace and are ready to pursue economic issues in a peaceful atmosphere.”

He said: “Russian companies are willing to work with Afghanistan in mining, building dams, generating electricity, expanding railway networks, producing transport equipment, as well as increasing regional connectivity and trade.”

He added that an agreement on establishing a joint trade center between Moscow and Kabul had been signed and hoped it would create new conditions for cooperation between the two sides and provide a good basis for utilizing existing opportunities.

At the ceremony, head of the Russian customs said that they were ready to increase imports of agricultural products from Afghanistan, taking into account special facilities and significant discounts on customs tariffs.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation expressed interest in increasing the level of Russian transit through Afghanistan and said: “The Trans Afghan Railway project is very important in this regard, on which Russian and Uzbek technical teams are working together, and the goal is to start practical work as soon as possible. The Islamic Emirate assured its full cooperation in this regard.”

At the opening session of the Afghanistan-Russia Business Forum, the Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan said that Tatarstan automobile companies were ready to work in Afghanistan.

He said: “Tatarstan is ready to sign an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with Afghanistan in this regard.”

Mullah Baradar called such economic forums important in the development of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries and emphasized their continuation.

It is planned that important agreements will be signed between businessmen of the two countries on the sidelines of the 16th Kazan Forum to increase the level of trade between Kabul and Moscow.

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