Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Uzbekistan plans to bring mutual trade with Afghanistan to US$2 billion by 2023.

This is envisaged by the resolution of the President of Uzbekistan "On measures to further expand and strengthen economic cooperation and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan."

The head of Uzbekistan entrusted the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan (MIFT) and the khokimiyat of Surkhandarya region to create favorable conditions aimed at ensuring free exchange of goods and services between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

MIFT and the khokimiyat of Surkhandarya region must implement appropriate measures to bring the annual volume of mutual trade between the two countries to US$2 billion by 2023.

They should also provide assistance in establishing partnerships between entrepreneurs of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, developing investment projects, concluding trade and investment agreements.

In the border areas of Surkhandarya region with Afghanistan, an infrastructure will be created to provide medical, educational and other services for the citizens of Afghanistan.

It should be noted that the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree "On measures to further develop the activities of special economic and small industrial zones in  Surkhandarya region and the city of Tashkent."

According to the document, the center is being created by reducing the territory by the freedom of the Termez economic zone. Termez Cargo Center Ltd. will be included in the register of the center’s participants.

According to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, in January-September 2020, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan was US$542.9 million.The export volume of Uzbekistan exceeded US$541 million.