Afghan Business Travel to Uzbekistan Surges Nearly Threefold
According to Uzbek media reports, 362,800 foreign nationals entered Uzbekistan for business purposes during the first ten months of this year — a 2.7-fold increase compared to the same period last year.
Afghanistan ranks first among these countries, with its citizens accounting for 339,500 business trips, representing 93 percent of all recorded business-related entries. This figure underscores the prominent role Afghan traders play in regional economic interactions.
Following Afghanistan, Tajikistan ranked second with 16,700 visits, while Turkmenistan came third with 2,773 visits. These numbers indicate that Uzbekistan’s foreign trade during this period was primarily focused on its southern and regional neighbors.
Reports suggest that the ‘Ayritom’ Free Economic Zone near the city of Termez has played a critical role in attracting this volume of traffic. Since August 2024, the zone has hosted nearly 400,000 Afghan visitors. Additionally, 80 percent of patients at the ‘Akfa Medline’ clinic within the zone are reportedly Afghan citizens.
Uzbek authorities have announced that exports from the free zone have reached $187 million over the past 13 months. With full capacity, the figure could rise to $1.2 billion.
A market survey conducted in the area indicates that 70 percent of buyers found goods to be cheaper than in other markets. Most respondents also called for the market to operate 24 hours a day and for customs and border procedures to be simplified.
In line with these developments, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev ordered in early December that the Termez–Hairatan Friendship Bridge crossing in northern Afghanistan be reopened to all citizens. The crossing had been closed since 2021.
