Afghanistan, Uzbekistan Firms Sign $65 Million Trade Deals

Afghanistan and Uzbekistan businesses signed 10 trade agreements worth more than $65 million during a joint business forum in Kokand, in Uzbekistan’s Fergana region, Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Investment said.

The deals were signed at a meeting between private sector representatives from both countries, in what officials described as a fresh push to deepen regional trade and investment ties.

According to the chamber, the agreements mainly cover clothing, raw materials and pharmaceuticals, sectors seen as important for expanding cross-border trade and supply chains between the two neighbours. Afghanistan’s business representatives said the forum offered an opportunity to connect directly with Uzbek companies and explore new export and import channels.

Officials from the Afghanistan chamber said the signing of the memorandums marked an important step toward strengthening economic cooperation and broadening commercial relations with Uzbekistan. The Afghan delegation, led by chamber representatives and accompanied by dozens of businesspeople, also visited industrial and manufacturing sites during the trip.

The latest agreements come as Afghanistan increasingly turns to regional markets to offset economic isolation, banking restrictions and reduced access to global trade networks. Uzbekistan has emerged as one of Kabul’s most active regional economic partners, maintaining trade, energy and logistics links even as broader international engagement with Afghanistan remains constrained.

Trade ties between the two countries have expanded steadily in recent years, with both sides repeatedly expressing interest in boosting cooperation in manufacturing, energy, transport and agriculture. Uzbek officials have previously said they want to raise bilateral trade sharply and use Afghanistan as a key transit route linking Central Asia to South Asia.

Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have held a series of business forums and trade exhibitions over the past two years as part of a broader effort to strengthen economic integration. Previous meetings in Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif and Uzbekistan have produced multimillion-dollar agreements, reflecting growing interest from both sides in expanding private-sector cooperation despite regional instability and financial constraints.

The $65 million in new agreements signals continued momentum in Afghanistan-Uzbekistan commercial ties at a time when regional trade is becoming increasingly important for Kabul’s economy.

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