Abdul Ghani Baradar and Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Photo: Press Service of the President of Uzbekistan
In the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, acting Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan. The meeting, which focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation, took place on the sidelines of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit, according to the Uzbek president’s press service.
The two sides noted steady growth in trade and the number of joint ventures. Business ties have intensified, reflected in the opening of Uzbek trade houses in Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif and the recent adoption of a preferential trade agreement.
Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to expand cooperation in other sectors, including mining, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. He also highlighted joint initiatives in construction materials manufacturing and agricultural processing.
The two officials also discussed accelerating the strategically significant Trans-Afghan Railway project.
According to Azerbaijani media citing the office of Afghanistan’s deputy prime minister, Baradar expressed gratitude to Uzbekistan for its constructive and pragmatic stance on Afghanistan in international forums. The Taliban representative reaffirmed the movement’s intention to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion in the near future.
Baradar also asked Mirziyoyev for assistance in facilitating exports to Central Asia and Russia via Uzbek territory. In response, Mirziyoyev said he would instruct relevant ministries to address logistics issues, which he noted would particularly benefit Afghan agricultural exports.
The president also reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s readiness to increase electricity exports to Afghanistan following the completion of a 500-kilovolt power transmission line expansion.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to establish an intergovernmental working group, co-chaired by Baradar and Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov. The group will convene quarterly to monitor key areas of cooperation and evaluate the performance of relevant government officials.
According to the Uzbek president’s office, ahead of the ECO summit, Mirziyoyev, accompanied by his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, participated in a series of cultural events. The leaders visited the Imaret historical and architectural complex in Aghdam and attended a performance titled Zafar (“Victory”), which highlighted the rich culture and traditions of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region.
The 17th ECO summit is being held in Khankendi, Azerbaijan. Participants include government leaders and officials from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives from Nigeria and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
This year’s summit theme is “A New Vision for the ECO: A Reliable and Climate-Resilient Future.”
The previous ECO summit was held in Tashkent in November 2023.
