Uzbekistan Ready to Invest in Afghanistan Housing, Taliban Says
The Taliban-run Ministry of Urban Development and Housing has said Uzbekistan has expressed readiness to invest in Afghanistan’s housing sector and take part in building residential townships.
According to the ministry, the issue was discussed during a meeting between Najibullah Hayat Haqqani, acting minister of urban development and housing in the Taliban administration, and Oybek عثماناف, Uzbekistan’s ambassador in Kabul.
Citing the Uzbek ambassador, the Taliban said Tashkent is interested in investing in housing projects and township development in Kabul and wants to play a greater role in Afghanistan’s construction plans.
The meeting also raised a proposal for cooperation between an Uzbek educational institution and the Taliban-run Ministry of Urban Development and Housing. According to the ministry, the purpose of this cooperation is to exchange information and strengthen the technical and engineering capacities of the department’s staff.
In its statement, the Taliban-run Ministry of Urban Development and Housing added that these talks could pave the way for broader bilateral cooperation in the housing sector and for Uzbekistan’s technical cooperation in Afghanistan.
Uzbekistan is one of Afghanistan’s northern neighbours and in recent years has held contacts and talks with the Taliban administration in several areas, including trade, transit and infrastructure projects.
