Uzbek Foreign Minister engages with Taliban leadership on connectivity projects

north_east

Uzbekistan to continue operating Hairaton–Mazar-i-Sharif railway

On April 27, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov held a phone conversation with Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaki, the acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan's Taliban interim government, according to Saidov’s Telegram post.

During the talks, both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening traditional friendship and good-neighborly relations between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

"We paid special attention to the successes achieved in the rapidly expanding bilateral cooperation across various sectors, while also acknowledging the significant untapped potential that still remains," Saidov wrote.

One of the key topics discussed during the call was the Trans-Afghan Railway Project.

"We also discussed the strategic Trans-Afghan railway initiative, aimed at unlocking the full potential of regional connectivity. We agreed to continue our close cooperation to support sustainable development, as well as to maintain peace and stability across the entire region," the Uzbek minister stated.

On August 17, 2024, during the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan business forum in Kabul, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, Laziz Kudratov, announced that practical steps for the construction of the Trans-Afghan railway would begin soon.