Photo: press service of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have agreed to conduct regular monitoring of trade barriers and increase bilateral trade volume to $2 billion by the end of 2025, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Uzbekistan announced.
The agreement was reached during a meeting in Kabul between a delegation led by CCI Chairman Davron Vakhabov and Afghanistan’s Minister of Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi. The talks focused on poultry and textile industry projects, development of transport and logistics networks, and streamlining supply chains.
The two sides agreed to establish a mechanism for the regular resolution of trade barriers. Every 15 days, existing obstacles will be reviewed and resolved on site, with updates on decisions provided directly to the ministers of commerce. Starting in May, four official CCI representatives will begin working in Afghanistan.
The Uzbek delegation visited Afghanistan from April 5 to 8. It included representatives of major businesses in the pharmaceutical, construction materials, and agricultural sectors.
On the first day of the visit, meetings were held in Kabul with Afghan entrepreneurs and business representatives to discuss bilateral cooperation, trade growth, and investment climate improvements. Special attention was given to Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical market, estimated at $2 billion and largely dependent on imports—creating new opportunities for Uzbek suppliers. The parties discussed demand, drug registration procedures, advertising regulations, and the potential for establishing local production.
During the visit, Vakhabov also met with Rezauddin Sharifi, President of the Afghanistan National Development Corporation (IEANDC), to discuss the supply of Uzbek construction materials—including basalt-based products—for major infrastructure and social projects. IEANDC’s annual demand for construction materials is estimated at $350–400 million, with previous imports mainly sourced from Turkey.
At a meeting with Afghanistan’s Minister of Health, Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, the following topics were addressed:
👉 Reducing the drug registration period from six months to one;
👉 Opening 20 dental branches in Termez;
👉 Training Afghan specialists in Uzbekistan.
“These terms, combined with high product quality and competitive pricing, provide Uzbek pharmaceutical companies with a tremendous opportunity to tap into the Afghan market. There is every reason to expect export volumes to rise by more than $50 million by the end of this year,” the CCI noted.
The talks also led to an agreement to establish business councils for pharmaceutical, construction, and food industry producers under the leadership of the two countries’ chambers of commerce. Afghan entrepreneurs were invited to attend the Made in Uzbekistan exhibition, which opened in Termez on April 8.
