AKIPRESS.COM - Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have signed trade and investment agreements worth $2.5 billion during the visit of Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov to Afghanistan that started on August 17, Ariananews.af reports.

The documents include 12 investment agreements valued at $1.4 billion and 23 trade agreements worth $1.1 billion. The signing ceremony was presided over by Abdulla Aripov and Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar. The agreements cover a range of sectors, including agriculture, energy, infrastructure and manufacturing.

During the meeting, the sides discussed issues of mutual trade. The parties expressed a desire to increase the trade turnover to $1 billion this year and to $3 billion in the future.

In addition, Aripov held talks with the Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, during which various issues of cooperation between neighboring states were discussed. In particular, the Uzbek side assured that the country would support Kabul in the creation of the Trans-Afghan Corridor, a railway worth $4.8 billion.

In turn, Kabir said that the Islamic Emirate is ready to take part in large-scale regional projects TAPI and CASA-1000, noting that their implementation is of great importance for the stability and development of Afghanistan.

According to the Deputy PM of the Taliban government, Kabul is also considering joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The Deputy PM noted that his country is doing everything possible to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan does not pose a threat to its neighbors.

Aripov also noted that a decision had been made to appoint a new Afghan ambassador to Uzbekistan, ToloNews reported. He will soon assume his duties, which will be officially announced.

A three-day Made in Uzbekistan exhibition opened in Kabul as part of the visit of the Uzbek PM. Over 200 manufacturers representing about 30 sectors of the economy brought their products.