The acting Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi, participated in a bilateral meeting to strengthen the economic relations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan in Hairatan port.

During this meeting, discussions were held on increasing working hours at the customs of both countries, developing and expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of international transport, organizing exhibitions of Afghan products in Uzbekistan, and Uzbek investments in the agriculture, cement, and thermal power generation from coal sectors.

Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, the spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said: "Holding a business communication conference and an exhibition of Afghan products and productions in Uzbekistan, installation of scanners for the check and review of perishable goods in Uzbek soil, facilitation of visa issuance for the private sector of the country, increasing working hours at the customs of both countries, and the development and expansion of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of international transport were discussed."

The Chamber of Commerce and Investment said that developing trade relations with Central Asian countries can play a significant role in increasing the exports and transit of Afghan goods through this route to European countries, China, and Russia.

Mohammad Younus Momand, the first deputy of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment said: "We are trying to figure out how we can improve our trade relations with Uzbekistan and make our transit relations better. Uzbekistan is an important strategic neighbor and our trade partner."

Meanwhile, some traders said that despite frequent meetings between Uzbek officials and the authorities of the Islamic Emirate, traders face challenges in trading with Tashkent.

"The country of Uzbekistan does not accept exports from Afghanistan and there are problems like quarantine, physical checks of goods, lack of standard scanners on the Uzbek side, and also problems of transit of vehicles between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan allowing vehicles of both countries to travel in the territory of both sides and creating a common market in ports," said Omid Haidari, a trader.

Last week, a 30-member delegation led by the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan came to Afghanistan and met with high-ranking officials of the Islamic Emirate to discuss bilateral political and economic relations.