Kabul and Tashkent Discuss Transfer of 20 Factories to Afghanistan

The Taliban’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced that in a meeting with Uzbek government officials, discussions were held on transferring 20 factories to Afghanistan and expanding industrial and trade cooperation. The meeting took place between the acting head of the Ministry and Nazimjon Khalmradov, head of the light industry development department of Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers.

According to the ministry’s newsletter, both sides exchanged views on the standardized cultivation of cotton, the processing and production of yarn within Afghanistan, and creating opportunities for joint investment. Another topic of the meeting was the organization of a joint international exhibition in Termez market.

Termez, one of Uzbekistan’s important commercial cities near the Afghan border, has in recent years become a key transit point for trade between the two countries. Taliban officials stated that expanding industrial cooperation could help increase domestic production and create job opportunities in Afghanistan.

However, no further details have been released regarding the timeline for transferring the factories, the types of industries involved, or how the agreements will be implemented.