Kazakhstan proposes to open trading house in Afghanistan
Kazakhstan handed over the second humanitarian aid consignment consisting of medication to Afghanistan, as part of a visit of a Kazakhstani delegation to the country, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The press service of the Kazakh government said in a statement that a meeting took place between Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister – National Economy Minister Serik Zhumangarin and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of Afghanistan Abdul Ghani Baradar.
Kazakhstan is the largest donor of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in Central Asia
Since 2021, Kazakhstan has sent tens of thousands of tons of flour, food, medication, household items and warm clothing. The UN Regional Sustainable Development Goals Center for Central Asia and Afghanistan was set up March this year in Almaty is to boost socio-economic and business cooperation between CA and Afghanistan.
Kazakhstan and Afghanistan push ahead with trade diversification
Kazakhstan is among the top 10 trading partners of Afghanistan, exporting primarily grain and flour. Kazakhstan’s sugar exports surged from 19,100 tons in 2023 to 143,000 in 2024, with untapped export potential is yet to be unlocked.
Last year, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan signed a roadmap to boost trade turnover to 3 billion US dollars, as efforts are under way to find new mineral deposits in Afghanistan. Kazakh Deputy Minister of Industry and Construction Iran Sharkhan said a group of Kazakh geologists arrived in Afghanistan on April 14 collected 130kg of ore samples in Nuristan Province from deposits with promising indications of beryllium, lead and zinc.
Mutual intention to launch trading houses
As part of the visit, Serik Zhumangarin suggested opening Kazakhstan’s trading house in Kabul, while Abdul Ghani Baradar expressed Afghanistan’s intent to launch its trading house in Kazakhstan.
On the same day, Zhumangarin met with Afghan Minister of Communications and Information Technologies Najibullah Haqqani, with the former saying that Kazakhstani companies are keen on implementing infrastructure and telecommunication projects in Afghanistan. The Kazakhstani official suggested Kazakhstan’s participation in optical cable installation during construction of Towrgondi-Herat railroad.
During the meeting with Afghanistan’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Alhaj Nooruddin, prospects to diversify the mutual trade turnover were discussed.
Earlier it was reported that Kazakhstan had dispatched 36 trucks of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.