Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Trade Reaches $1.2 Billion
According to a recent report by Uzbekistan’s National Statistics Committee, trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan reached $1.2 billion in the first seven months of this year. In the list, Afghanistan ranks fifth among Uzbekistan’s top 10 trading partners.
The report said China, with $11.3 billion, Russia with $8.1 billion, Kazakhstan with $3.3 billion and Turkey with $1.6 billion were Uzbekistan’s four biggest trading partners this year. Afghanistan came after these countries in fifth place.
Khan Jan Alokozai, an adviser to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce, told the BBC that after trade with Pakistan was suspended, many Afghan traders turned to Central Asian countries and increased the level of their transactions with them. According to him, Afghan traders now import food products, oil, medicine and some other goods from Central Asian countries.
Alokozai also said Afghanistan, in return, exports dried and fresh fruits, carpets and meat to these countries. He added that Afghanistan’s trade with Uzbekistan is expanding.
Uzbek officials had also previously announced that their country’s trade with Afghanistan had increased two and a half times. Uzbekistan is one of Afghanistan’s northern neighbours and is considered an important trade route for transporting goods between Afghanistan and Central Asia.
