A delegation arrived from Uzbekistan led by Kholmurodov Nozimjon Qosimovich, the First Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of the country, and met with several officials of the Islamic Emirate, discussing various issues including trade and transit.
In meetings with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Uzbekistan special envoy for Afghanistan, Ismatulla Irgashev discussed bringing further facilities, issuance of visas and humanitarian assistance, according to a spokesman of the Foreign Ministry.
Hafiz Ziah Ahmad Takal, deputy spokesman for MoFA, quoted Stanikzai as saying that in order to strengthen trade between Kabul and Tashkent, work is underway at a special place in Afghanistan, and added that for the purpose of facilitating trade and transit it is necessary to create a comprehensive mechanism between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, so that despite the security situation, the necessary facilities can be established in the field of trade and transit.
Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, Deputy Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on social media quoted the special representative of the president of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan, Ismatullah lIrgashev, saying that last year Uzbekistan sent 6 thousand tons of commercial goods to Pakistan through Afghanistan.
The delegation also met with the officials of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
The MoIC’s spokesman, Akhundzada Abdul Salam, said the meeting discussed investment in various fields in Afghanistan, particularly mines.
“The two sides discussed the strengthening of investment in Afghanistan, the reduction of transit fees, bringing facilities in transit among Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Increase in activities of custom offices to 24-hour operation as well as formation of bilateral, trilateral and multilateral agreements,” he said.
The delegation also jointly with the acting Minister of Transportation and Civil Aviation Authority visited the Torkham crossing, located in the southeastern province of Nangarhar.
The Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation said online that Uzbekistan's Ilkhom Makhkamov, Minister of Transport, in a meeting with Hamidullah Akhundzada, the acting Minister of Transportation and Civil Aviation of Afghanistan, and local officials of Nangarhar province at the Torkham crossing, discussed the cooperation of transit and transportation sectors.
“Uzbekistan is interested in this area to conduct our transit of goods through Uzbekistan,” Irgashev said.
Meanwhile, the association of the industrial sector of Afghanistan said that the delegation also discussed with Islamic Emirate’s officials the transition of electric power to Afghanistan.
“The important news is that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) should work on how to increase the amount of power being imported from Uzbekistan. The industrial owners and investors rely on power,” said Abdul Jabar Safi, head of the association.
In his meeting with the deputy FM, Ismatulla Irgashev said that nearly 6,000 tons of goods have been transferred through Afghanistan to Pakistan.