JALALABAD (SW) – As the Afghan delegation visits Uzbekistan, which consists of the officials of several ministries, officials say that in this trip, they will focus on attracting investments, creating facilities and solving problems in the field of land transportation, and attracting foreign investors to start work on the railway project.
Homayoun Afghan, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, told Salam Watandar that the Afghan delegation is seeking to attract Uzbekistan’s investment in Afghanistan’s mines. He adds: “On Saturday, the head of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, along with delegations from the Ministries of Finance, Transport, and Industry and Trade, visited Uzbekistan. Their goal is to discuss about attracting Uzbekistan’s investment in Afghanistan’s mineral resources, especially the extraction, processing and purchase of the coal.”
On the other hand, Imamuddin Ahmadi, the spokesman of the Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation of Afghanistan, says: “The head of the office of the Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation, who left for Uzbekistan yesterday, is going to discuss with the Uzbek side regarding the provision of facilities in the field of ground transportation and some other important issues. ”
Meanwhile, the officials in the Afghanistan Railway Department say that a delegation from this ministry has left for Uzbekistan to participate in the logistics and transportation exhibition. Abdul Sami Durrani, the spokesman of the Afghanistan Railway Department, says that the Afghan delegation has discussed with their Uzbek and Pakistani counterparts on completing the Afghan-Trans railway project report and attracting global investment to start the project.
He adds: “In the tripartite meeting that was held between the Afghan Railway Administration Board and the Uzbekistan Board in Tashkent city, on the information report of the Afghan-Trans project railway project, corrective opinions of the three parties were presented and it was decided to complete the report and display it in the exhibition. It should be exhibited so that global companies show interest in this project and investors are attracted in this sector and the work actually starts.”
Earlier, the officials in the Afghanistan Railway Department said that with the construction of the Afghan-Trans railway, Afghanistan will become a regional connection point and will connect the countries of Central Asia with the countries of South Asia.
In February 2021, the Afghan-Trans railway construction project was planned between the countries of Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and with the completion of this route by 2025, the trade volume of India and Pakistan with Afghanistan is likely to reach 20 billion dollars.
Experts also say that talks with Uzbekistan about expanding trade relations and creating facilities in transportation will lead to mutual benefit.
Abdul Nasir Rashtia, an expert on economic issues, says: “The more our economic and strategic relations with neighboring countries increase, the better for both sides. Although we do not have direct access to sea routes, the lack of regular roads makes it difficult for regular transportation in our regular foreign trade.”
It should be noted that the Islamic Emirate has been trying to expand its business relations with neighboring countries for more than two years since it return to power.
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