The Kazakh-Afghan Business Forum in Astana has brought together more than 300 business and government representatives. Despite the upheaval of the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul, Kazakhstan is the largest supplier of food to the Afghan market and sees major potential in a proposed rail link across Afghan territory, which would greatly improve Central Asia’s access to Pakistan and its ports, writes Political Editor Nick Powell.
Afghanistan not only accounts for 70% of Kazakhstan’s flour exports, it offers a market worth $500 million for Kazakh food, petrochemicals, chemicals, metallurgical products and machine-making, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Integration, Serik Zhumangarin told the forum. He said in a press release that mutual trade turnover was nearer $1 billion and he could see it reaching $3 billion in future.
Beyond Afghanistan and its 40 million people are the important markets of Pakistan and India, as well as the Middle East, which are of high trade interest for Kazakhstan. The Minister looked forward to the diversification of Kazakhstan’s trade routes through Afghanistan, noting that his country has strengthened its agreements with Uzbekistan for railway transit.
Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to build a trans-Afghan railway, linking via Kabul the existing railheads at Mazar-i-Sharif and Peshawar. The construction of this route will benefit not only the three countries but facilitate uninterrupted regional cooperation between Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East.
Uzbek Railways estimate that the new line will cost nearly $6 billion and take five years to build. The route was surveyed last year and will cover 187 kilometres, with five tunnels. There are no major security concerns as lorries currently make the journey between the two railheads without incident. Shipments increased from 28,000 tonnes to 500,000 tonnes in 2022.
Kazakhstan also sees good prospects for cooperation with Afghanistan in the energy sector, particularly in projects for the extraction and transportation of oil and gas, strengthening the economies of both countries. Many other possibilities were advanced at bilateral business to business negotiations during the forum.
Before the forum met, Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Kanat Tumysh made clear that it would not change Kazakhstan’s official stance on the Taliban. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev advocates uniting international efforts to assist the Afghan people and find ways out of the country’s difficult humanitarian crisis.
Kanat Tumysh said none of the Afghan officials and businesspeople attending the forum were under international sanctions. He also noted that American officials have held talks in Doha with Afghan Taliban representatives, most recently at the end of last month.
Source : Eureporter