In a significant move to strengthen good-neighborly relations and secure border infrastructure, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan has allocated $10 million for a major project to reinforce the banks of the Amu Darya River on the Afghan side.
Kabul 24: The critical initiative aims to prevent annual erosion, river encroachment into Afghan territory, and the loss of agricultural and residential land along the border.
The announcement was officially made on Tuesday, November 10, during a joint meeting in Balkh province between high-level delegations led by the governors of Balkh and Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya region. Beyond border and environmental concerns, the regional forum served as a key platform to resolve trade and transit bottlenecks between the two nations.
During the discussions, Sayed Karim Hashemi, Director General of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), detailed the challenges faced by Afghan traders. He highlighted issues regarding the export of fresh and dried fruits, as well as cargo transit through Uzbekistan to third countries. Following intensive talks, officials from both sides agreed to immediately streamline operations, ease customs procedures, and resolve trader grievances.
To operationalize these trade agreements, a specialized delegation of Uzbek traders and investors is scheduled to visit Afghanistan shortly. The visit aims to assess market conditions on the ground and facilitate direct purchasing and importing of Afghan agricultural products, particularly apples and pomegranates, into Uzbekistan.
Furthermore, both parties emphasized expanding bilateral economic cooperation, easing transit flows, removing customs barriers, and exploring dedicated railway lines to accelerate international freight transport—a move poised to unlock new avenues for trade growth between Afghanistan and Central Asia.
