Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 19 November 2020, the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov met with the head of the Presidential Administration of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Muhammad Shakir Korgar.

The parties discussed the current agenda of bilateral political, trade and economic cooperation, interaction in the transport, logistics, cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as further measures to deepen Uzbek-Afghan relations.

The high level and constructiveness of the political dialogue between the two countries was emphasized, as well as a wide range of intersection of mutual interests, which forms a rich agenda for multifaceted interaction.

The Afghan side gave a positive assessment to the adoption in November 2020 of the Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On measures to further expand and strengthen economic cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan", which envisages the implementation of specific measures to increase the volume of mutual trade, cooperation in the economic sphere and the implementation of joint projects.

It was also noted that in accordance with the Resolution, a working group consisting of heads of ministries and departments will be created in the city of Termez to work out issues of bilateral economic cooperation and implement a set of measures aimed at developing the Uzbek-Afghan partnership.

Mutual readiness to fulfill the task set to bring the volume of mutual trade to US$2 billion was emphasized. In this context, the parties exchanged views on further actions to agree on a draft agreement on preferential trade between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The signing of the agreement will lay a solid foundation for trade cooperation, strengthen ties between Uzbek and Afghan entrepreneurs in a wide range of industries and facilitate mutual access for them to the markets of the two countries.

An agreement was also reached to start developing and agreeing on a draft agreement on the encouragement and mutual protection of investments between the two countries. This step will create favorable conditions for the implementation of joint industrial cooperation projects with the creation of modern production facilities with high added value with the prospect of exporting them to the markets of third countries.

Issues of current interaction and implementation of joint projects in the transport and logistics sector were considered - issues of the development of trans-Afghan transport corridors, the establishment of international road links and the resumption of regular flights between the two countries, as well as the increase in transit traffic in the region were discussed.

Special attention was paid to issues of cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian sphere with an emphasis on the educational sector. The Uzbek side supported the initiative to sign a memorandum between the ministries of higher education of the two countries on the organization of training for Afghan students in Uzbekistan.

As a result of the meeting, the parties agreed to jointly develop and approve the "Road Map" to deepen cooperation in trade, economic, transport, logistics, cultural and humanitarian spheres, indicating specific mechanisms for implementing projects and responsible ministries and departments on both sides.