Kazakhstan and Afghanistan have signed a memorandum on building the Trans-Afghan Railway. The document was signed during a visit by a Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu to Kabul.
The memorandum outlines the main principles for constructing and operating a railway between Central Asia and South Asia. Nurtleu also discussed increasing trade turnover with Afghanistan to $3 billion annually.
The two countries plan to develop transport and logistics infrastructure, including the Trans-Afghan route. Kazakhstan intends to invest in the Torghundi-Herat railway project.
Nurtleu stated that Kazakhstan is ready to increase supplies of agricultural products, fuel, mineral fertilizers, and chemicals to Afghanistan. In return, Kazakhstan is willing to increase imports from Afghanistan.
To expand trade, Kazakhstan proposed transporting products through the border city of Torghundi and Turkmenistan. This would allow Kazakh consumers to receive fresh products during the off-season and Afghan farmers to access a large market.
The Kazakh Foreign Minister also announced plans to double the quota for Afghan students in Kazakhstan's support programs.
Kazakhstan has been developing relations with the Taliban-led government in Kabul since 2023 and removed the movement from its national list of terrorist organizations. The country aims to integrate Afghanistan into the Central Asian economy.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Martin Winkler/Pixabay
Based on TASS materials