The Special Representative of the Uzbekistan  President, Ismatullah Irgashev, and the Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan, Ilkhom Makhkamov, along with their delegation, arrived in Kabul.

During a meeting with the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, Ilkhom Makhkamov stated that Uzbekistan supports the Islamic Emirate's request to transform Afghanistan into a regional connectivity hub.

According to the Foreign Ministry's statement, the meeting also discussed political, economic, trade, transit relationships, and Uzbek investments in Afghanistan.

The Uzbek delegation announced during the meeting that they plan to extend working hours at customs to further improve transit transportation, reduce customs tariffs, and facilitate visa acquisition for Afghan drivers, students, and businessmen. They also plan to send technical teams to initiate practical work and feasibility studies for the Trans-Afghan railway project and purchase one million tons of coal from Afghanistan to Kabul.

"Uzbekistan can trade with South Asian countries through Afghanistan at a reasonable price, and these meetings can play a significant role for all involved countries,” said Abdul Zohor Mudaber, an economic expert.

Meanwhile, some Turkish investors also expressed their interest in investing in the mining and infrastructure sectors of Afghanistan, during a meeting with the deputy prime minister for administrative affairs, Abdul Salam Hanafi.

“I think that Afghanistan, with a good economy and lasting peace and stability, will be beneficial for the countries of the region, especially Central Asia, and that is why visits have increased,” said Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, deputy of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines.

At the same time, the Chamber of Commerce and Investment sees the visits of delegations from various countries, especially Uzbekistan, with officials of the Islamic Emirate as impactful on the economic growth, trade, and transit of Afghanistan.

“Uzbekistan is also interested in connecting through Afghanistan to Karachi and to the sea,” said Khanjan Alkozai, a board member of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment.

Previously, the acting Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation of the Islamic Emirate heading a delegation traveled to Uzbekistan to join a six-party meeting on a trade corridor, and had discussed various issues, including the provision of trade and transportation facilities with Uzbek officials.