Muttaqi discusses trade with Uzbekistan ambassador

KABUL (TOLO News): The Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in a meeting Yadgar Shadmanov, Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan, discussed a range of issues, including the development of trade relations between Kabul and Tashkent.

According to the deputy spokesman of the Foreign Ministry Zia Ahmad Takal, providing facilities in getting Uzbekistan’s visas for businessmen was also one of the central discussions.

“The Foreign Minister shared some of the problems of Afghan businessmen and the transportation sector with the delegation of Uzbekistan and said that if visas are issued to Afghan businessmen and drivers quickly, the necessary progress will be made in bilateral trade,” Takal added.

Meanwhile, some businessmen said that Central Asian countries are the biggest opportunity for Afghanistan to become a transit crossroads, and necessary facilities should be provided to increase Afghanistan’s trade with these countries.

“Central Asia is not only the best opportunity for our country’s products, but also the biggest opportunity to transform Afghanistan into a crossroads of the region, and the increase in exports and imports between the two countries is related to the economic plans of the two countries,” said Mahbobullah Mohammadi, a businessman.

According to the statistics of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, during the past ten months, commerce with Uzbekistan has totaled 232 million dollars, of which 214 million have been imports and 19 million have been exports.