В Ашхабаде обсуждается развитие туркмено-афганского торгово-экономического сотрудничества

On 4 March 2024, an exhibition of Afghan goods and a business forum of the two countries were opened at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan.

A delegation led by Afghan Minister of Industry and Trade Nuruddin Azizi arrived in Ashgabat to participate in the events, which included more than 300 representatives of government agencies, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and banks, as well as about 170 companies and enterprises.

The extensive exhibition, which will continue until 6 March, showcases the products of some 70 Afghan private companies from various sectors of the economy. Construction and industrial goods, household chemicals and pharmaceuticals, carpets, jewellery and handicrafts, precious stones, food and beverages are displayed in 76 pavilions.

The Turkmen side was widely represented at the forum by participants from ministries and agencies, members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs - more than 200 delegates from companies, individual enterprises and other private structures.

The agenda of the business forum, held in 6 sectoral areas, included discussion of the prospects for mutually beneficial partnership in the oil and gas sector, transport and communications, power industry, industrial sector, trade and agriculture.

During the speeches, the parties sounded their readiness to actively cooperate in the above-mentioned areas. Construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) high-voltage power transmission line, railways from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, establishment of transport and transit routes, as well as construction of other promising infrastructure and industrial facilities on the territory of Afghanistan were noted as major joint projects.

In his speech, Afghan Minister of Industry and Trade Nuruddin Azizi emphasised that the key objective of the Afghan side is to ensure the welfare of the Afghan people through job creation, economic growth and investment attraction. In this regard, it was noted that his country's leadership pays special attention to the private sector and supports it by creating a legal framework to facilitate trade and investment in Afghanistan.

Azizi said Afghan business circles are keen to further build trade ties with Turkmenistan, increase trade turnover, jointly develop Afghanistan's infrastructure, use transit potential to supply their goods to other regions, as well as facilitate the transit of Turkmen products through Afghanistan.

Dozens of meetings between representatives of various agencies and business circles of the two neighbouring countries were held within the framework of the forum, new ties were established and joint projects and further areas of cooperation were identified.

In the coming days, a number of bilateral meetings and exchange trades are also planned with a view to signing dozens of documents and contracts between the Turkmen and Afghan business communities.