KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) says 22 trade agreements worth more than $200 million have been signed between the private sectors of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
In a statement, the ministry said the Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Business Forum was held in Kabul on Sunday to strengthen economic ties and expand bilateral trade.
The forum was attended by Minister of Commerce and Industry Nooruddin Azizi, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev, a number of ministers and governors, officials from chambers of commerce, and private sector representatives from both countries.
According to the ministry, the 22 agreements, valued at more than $200 million, were signed during the forum, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to expanding economic cooperation and increasing bilateral trade.
Addressing the gathering, Azizi said the visit of Uzbekistan’s high-level delegation, accompanied by about 300 private sector representatives, reflected the growing partnership between the two countries. He expressed hope bilateral trade would increase to $5 billion.
He also encouraged Afghan and Uzbek investors to take advantage of investment opportunities in Afghanistan.
Azizi said about 10,000 tonnes of Afghan cotton had been exported to Uzbekistan on a trial basis, adding that Tashkent had expressed readiness to purchase another 100,000 tonnes.
For his part, Khodjayev described Afghanistan as a country on the path to growth and said plans were underway to establish new transit routes and logistics centres, offer preferential tariffs and accelerate the movement of goods to facilitate bilateral trade.
Sayed Karim Hashemi, chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, and the governor of Uzbekistan’s Fergana region also addressed the forum, highlighting the importance of expanding economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
kk/sa
