Developing trade relations with Afghanistan presents significant opportunities for Russia, including opening new routes to other South Asian countries, though working with the country requires unconventional approaches, according to Dmitry Dubovik, Director of the Caspian International Integration Club "North-South."
When asked if Russia should build trade relations with Afghanistan, Dubovik responded emphatically: "Absolutely essential – and from there everything extends to Pakistan, all these connections. The current business model for working with Afghanistan operates under different rules than classical business – we need to adapt our approach."
He highlighted Afghanistan's inherent potential as a trading partner: "Afghanistan currently purchases more petroleum products than any neighboring country, imports all its gasoline supplies, and buys more sunflower oil than Iran. Afghanistan is truly a goldmine."
The expert noted that working with Afghan partners requires unconventional approaches due to cultural differences. "Business model discussions become extremely complex – covering payments, obligations, contracts. Everything becomes very tense and difficult with them. But we've found that working through Iranian partners makes the process millions of times faster, almost automatic. Why? Because our mentalities differ significantly, while Iranians carry great authority in the Muslim world – with their participation, we're now activating cooperation with Afghan partners."
Forum Background
The 3rd International Forum "North-South International Transport Corridor – New Horizons" opened in Astrakhan on Wednesday, continuing through November 28. The event has attracted over 300 companies from 20 countries including Iran, Iraq, Oman, UAE, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Qatar, Indonesia, and India.
The North-South International Transport Corridor is a multimodal route transporting passengers and cargo from Asia to Europe through Russia, connecting Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and India.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Based on materials from TASS