Uzbekistan and Afghanistan to Accelerate Entry into Force of Preferential Trade Agreement

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan and Afghanistan intend to accelerate the entry into force of a preferential trade agreement, representatives of the Uzbek government have announced. The initiative was reported on LinkedIn by Jamshid Khodjaev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

On the eve of the announcement, the vice prime minister held videoconference talks with Nuriddin Azizi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Trade. The sides discussed practical steps to expand trade and economic cooperation, as well as preparations for an upcoming visit by an Afghan delegation to Tashkent.

Khodjaev emphasized that Uzbekistan highly values its “friendly and constructive relations” with Afghanistan. Over the past five years, bilateral trade has grown 2.5-fold — from US$653 million in 2021 to US$1.7 billion in 2025. The shared objective is to increase trade turnover to US$5 billion.

During the talks, particular attention was given to strengthening interregional cooperation and developing infrastructure to promote products, including the establishment of showrooms and warehouse complexes. The sides also discussed industrial cooperation in agricultural processing, construction materials, and textile production, as well as initiatives aimed at enhancing food security.

Following the meeting, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan agreed to expedite the entry into force of the preferential trade agreement and intensify joint investment and industrial cooperation projects. After the holy month of Ramadan, the parties plan to continue practical engagement through a business forum in Kabul and the development of a roadmap outlining priority areas of cooperation.