Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, participated in a joint meeting of the Governor of Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya Province and the Governor of Balkh Province, held in Balkh to expand economic, trade, and transit cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting was also attended by Mr. Ismatullah Irgashev, Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan; Mawlawi Attaullah Omari, Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock; a delegation from Termez; officials from Uzbekistan’s customs, railway, quarantine, and other relevant institutions; the Chairman of the Balkh Chamber of Commerce and Investment; and several representatives of the private sectors of both countries.
In his remarks, Mr. Hashemi raised the challenges faced by Afghan traders in exporting products to Uzbekistan and transiting goods through Uzbekistan to other countries. In particular, he discussed the export of fresh and dried fruits and other commodities, cargo unloading procedures in Uzbekistan, the inspection and assessment of shipments, and the difficulties traders encounter throughout these processes. Following these discussions, a constructive agreement was reached to address traders’ challenges in these areas.
Other issues, including matters related to railway transportation and the establishment of dedicated railway lines, were also discussed in general during the meeting. These proposals were put forward by the Governor of Balkh Province.
It was also agreed that a delegation of Uzbek traders would visit Afghanistan to explore firsthand opportunities for purchasing and importing Afghan agricultural products, particularly apples and pomegranates.
Another part of the meeting addressed the project to reinforce the banks of the Amu River along the Afghan side. Previously, the Governor of Balkh had proposed implementing this project to prevent the erosion of riverbanks and the resulting loss of Afghan territory. During the meeting, it was announced that the President of Uzbekistan had allocated USD 10 million for the project. The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment expresses its gratitude to the Government and President of Uzbekistan for this cooperation.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the participating delegations attended a luncheon hosted by Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi at his residence.
The meeting was held as part of efforts to strengthen economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan and address the challenges faced by traders in both countries.
