A.T.Mamasodikov,
Independent applicant. Researcher of regional security issues.
Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan has historical roots and continues to develop in the context of modern political and economic challenges faced by both countries.
Within the framework of the new regional policy pursued by the Republic of Uzbekistan to build constructive and mutually beneficial relations with neighboring countries, one of the priority areas is the development of cooperation with Afghanistan.
Uzbekistan became one of the first countries in the region to start a dialogue
with the current Afghan authorities. Today, Tashkent and Kabul are working to expand bilateral relations. Recently, the parties have begun to regularly exchange visits of representative delegations, the main topics of which have become the discussion of security issues, the development of trade, economic and socio-humanitarian relations.
In February of this year, the head of the Security Service of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdusalom Azizov visited Kabul for the first time, where he held talks with the acting Minister of Defense of the Taliban movement Mohammad Yaqub. The parties discussed border issues, strengthening economic relations and cooperation in the field of transport communications.
On March 12-13,2024 Uzbek delegation headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov visited the Afghan capital. The agenda included a wide range of bilateral cooperation issues, including the intensification of economic ties.
In Kabul, the head of the Foreign policy department of Uzbekistan held meetings with the acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund,
Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi,
Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Barodar, Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Minister of internal affairs Sirajuddin Haqqani and Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry Nuriddin Azizi.
Particular attention at the talks was paid to creating the most favorable conditions for effective interaction between business communities of both countries. The interest of Uzbek businessmen in investing in such areas of the Afghan economy as cement production, coal mining, and electricity production was noted.
On May 12, 2024 the delegation of Uzbekistan, consisting of the Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev, engineers for the development of the feasibility study for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (Termez-Mazar-i–Sharif–Kabul–Peshawar) railway project, as well as a technical group of the geological sphere and mining industry headed by the Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov visited Afghanistan and held talks with Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi.
The parties stressed their mutual commitment to completing the Trans-Afghan Railway project, which will reduce trade costs between Uzbekistan and Pakistan by more than 40%. In addition to expressing interest in investing in the power industry and the railway system, Tashkent provided humanitarian aid to the Afghan population in the amount of 1,000 tons of essential items.
The Uzbek side expressed its readiness to assist Afghanistan in restoring cultural heritage sites and religious shrines. In Mazar-i-Sharif, with the participation of Uzbek specialists, construction of the Imam al-Bukhari madrasah complex began on an area of 0.6 hectares for a total of 6 million dollars. The educational institution, which is designed for 1,000 students, will be the largest in Afghanistan. A center for the study of Islamic heritage will also operate here.
On July 3, 2024, the Uzbek-Afghan business forum was held in Tashkent. The event discussed issues related to the further development of trade relations between the two countries. It was attended by First Deputy Minister of Transport Mamanbiy Omarov, who noted the importance of expanding cooperation between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan in the field of transport and logistics.
It should be noted that Afghanistan is one of the important links in ensuring regional communications between Central and South Asia. In recent years, the volume of cargo transportation through Afghanistan has increased significantly. In 2023, the volume of cargo transportation along the multimodal transport corridor “Uzbekistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan” increased by 1.5 times compared to 2021.
The resumption of the operation of the restored Hairatan-Naibabad-Mazar-i-Sharif railway line on August 7, 2024, further strengthened the relations between the two countries. The restoration work was carried out by Uzbekistan Railways under a contract with the Afghan Railway Authority.
Naibabad station, part of the 75-kilometer Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway, serves as a key logistics hub in the region. The railway, originally built in 2010 by Uzbekistan Railways, was designed to facilitate trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan by providing a direct route for cargo.
One ofthe highest-ranking foreign officials to visit Kabul since the Taliban came to power was the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov. He visited the country’s capital on August 17, 2024heading a representative delegation to participate in the business forum and the opening of the exhibition “Made in Uzbekistan” in Kabul.
During this visit, the parties signed 35 investment and trade agreements worth a total of $2.5 billion, including the abolition of customs duties on some goods. The negotiators noted the steady growth of mutual trade. In the first half of this year, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan amounted to $572 million, which is 18% more than in the same period last year. It is expected that the implementation of these agreements will significantly strengthen economic and trade ties between the two countries.
During the negotiations, an agreement was reached on Uzbekistan training 100 Afghan railway workers and accepting 500 Afghan students on a grant basis.
One of the main announcements was the signing of the Preferential Trade Agreement, which inured on October 1, 2024. According to this document, import duties on 14 different products will be abolished and exporters will be provided with conveniences. In order to further increase the import of agricultural products from Afghanistan, the procedure for issuing phytosanitary permits has been simplified. From August 1, 2024, in order to support border trade, the Ayritom-Hayraton border checkpoint switched to 24-hour operation.
The visit of the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan A. Aripov testifies to the deepening of economic ties between the two countries.
On August 29, 2024 a Taliban delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Barodar took part in the official opening ceremony of the International Trade Center in Termez, which is designed to service transit cargo transportation between Uzbekistan and South Asia, as well as to implement border trade. The event was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade of Kyrgyzstan Nazarbek Malayev, Deputy Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Kairat Torebayev and others.
On October 9, 2024Uzbekistan and Afghanistan signed a contract for exploration and production of natural gas in the Tuti-Maidan block in Afghanistan’s northern Jowzjan and Faryab provinces. The 10-year contract includes investments of about $1 billion, $100 million of which will be invested in the first year and the remaining $900 million over the next nine years.
It should be noted that on August 23, 2024, Kabul replaced its ambassador to Uzbekistan. Abdul Gafar Tirawi (Abdul Gafar Bahr) was appointed the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Afghanistan to Uzbekistan. Before his appointment as head of the diplomatic mission, he served as director of the research department at the Supreme Court of Afghanistan. On October 9, 2024, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan B. Saidov received the new head of the diplomatic mission of Afghanistan in Tashkent.
Uzbekistan demonstrates its position on strengthening cooperation with Afghanistan both at the regional and international levels.
On September 4-5 of this year, an event was held in Tashkent as part of the tenth international scientific and practical conference of the RATS SCO and the Second CIS Conference on Combating Terrorism and Extremism. During the event, the Uzbek side emphasized the importance of assisting Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism, since the weakening of countermeasures will lead to the strengthening of the terrorist underground, and this, in turn, threatens the security of the Central Asian region.
On September 25, 2024, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan B. Saidov, speaking at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, stated that Afghanistan is an integral part of Central Asia and expressed regret that the international community has still not been able to find a solution to the difficult situation in this country.
B. Saidov noted that “Uzbekistan is pursuing a pragmatic policy towards its neighbor and will continue to contribute to the economic recovery of Afghanistan and the development of its transport and energy infrastructure.”
Thus, cooperation between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan at the present stage is an important element in ensuring stability and development in Central Asia. Strengthening political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries opens up new opportunities for both sides and contributes to the creation of a peaceful and stable region.
In conclusion, it should be noted that cooperation between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan opens up new horizons for political and economic interaction. The parties have significant economic potential, including resources and a strategic position at the intersection of trade routes. The implementation of joint infrastructure projects, such as the construction of railways and energy facilities, can contribute not only to economic development, but also to gaining access to alternative infrastructure routes outside the existing networks. The implementation of important trade, economic and logistical projects without the participation of the Afghan side is considered very troublesome.