Afghan-Russian economic, trade relations take center stage at Kazan summit

KABUL (TOLOnews): Nooruddin Azizi, the acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, held meetings with the president of Mordovia and senior officials of the Russian Federation and Tatarstan on the sidelines of the Kazan Summit.

Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said that the discussions focused on increasing and balancing bilateral trade, preferential tariffs for Afghan goods, Russian investment in Afghanistan’s mining and water dam projects, and Afghanistan’s role in the North-South international transport corridor.

According to him, the meetings also emphasized expanding economic and commercial relations with the Russian Federation, reducing the costs of goods transportation via Russian railways, removing export taxes on raw materials, organizing a delegation trip to the ports of Astrakhan and Makhachkala, and holding a trade connectivity meeting and exhibition of Afghan products in Moscow.

The ministry’s spokesperson added: “In this meeting, the President of Mordovia of the Russian Federation said that his country is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in the wood industry, agriculture, and construction materials.”

The Chamber of Industries and Mines described the delegation’s visit to Russia led by the Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce as a significant step in expanding Afghanistan’s economic and political relations with Russia and Central Asian countries.

Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, the deputy head of the Chamber of Industries and Mines, said: “The more these economic, transit, and investment relations develop with Central Asian countries and other countries, the more it will contribute to Afghanistan’s economic growth.”

A number of economic analysts consider trade and transit agreements between Afghanistan and Russia crucial for the country’s economic growth and development and view attracting Russian investors as influential in creating employment opportunities in Afghanistan.

“May this trip yield good results so that they come and invest in Afghanistan. If they invest in infrastructure, mining, and road construction, our economy will advance,” said Mohammad Nabi Afghan, an economic analyst.

Earlier, an official delegation from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, in a meeting with the Deputy Minister of the Industry and Commerce, announced a major exhibition to be held on May 24 in China and said that they would provide good facilities for Afghans to participate in the exhibition and showcase Afghanistan’s products.