KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Traders from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have signed 25 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth more than $300m at a joint business conference between the two countries, according to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce under the Taliban administration.
In a statement released on Tuesday (February 17), the ministry said the agreements were signed in Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya region and cover sectors including construction, food products, agriculture, furniture, textiles and pharmaceuticals.
The conference was held in the presence of Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Taliban government; Erkinjon Turdimov, Governor of Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya region; Mawlawi Mohammad Alam Jamil, Deputy Minister of Economy; Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of the Board of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment; as well as Afghan traders and business representatives from Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya region.
Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban’s minister of industry and commerce, said trade relations between the two countries have seen “unprecedented expansion” in recent years. He added that the volume of trade in 2025 has increased compared with the previous year and has the potential for further growth.
Azizi also said a preferential trade agreement had been signed covering eight Afghan export items and six Uzbek goods, though further details were not immediately provided.
According to the statement, Erkinjon Turdimov, governor of Syrdarya region, described bilateral commercial ties as developing and called on traders from both sides to engage in discussions on available economic opportunities, proposals and mutual demands. He spoke about the historical and economic relations between the two countries and referred to the activities of 30 Afghan traders currently operating in the region. He emphasized the importance of joint activities in the fields of industry, state-owned enterprises and new practical projects.
Mr. Turdimov also highlighted investment opportunities in Uzbekistan and discussed the range of goods the country exports to European markets.
Additionally, at the conference, Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of the Board of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, and Lal Mohammad Walizada, Head of the Sustainable Development Goals Department at the Ministry of Economy, also delivered speeches.
Uzbek authorities have not yet publicly commented on the figures announced by the Taliban ministry.
Similarly, six months ago, the Taliban signed $243 million agreements with Uzbekistan to develop four major electricity transmission and distribution projects in Afghanistan. The deals, involving the Taliban-controlled Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy, aim to provide the country with 800–1,000 megawatts of electricity and reduce its heavy reliance on imported power. The projects include new transmission lines and substations, all funded by Uzbekistan and expected to be completed within 18 months.
Although Uzbekistan has not officially recognized Taliban rule, it has maintained close ties with the regime. It has kept its embassy in Kabul open and transferred the Afghan embassy in Tashkent to Taliban diplomats. In recent years, the two sides have also signed several agreements, including a $1.2 billion trade deal finalized in late 2023.
