Kabul: Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have held high-level discussions on expanding bilateral industrial cooperation, including plans to transfer 20 light industry factories from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan as part of broader efforts to strengthen economic ties and attract investment.
According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the talks took place during a meeting between Nooruddin Azizi and Nozimjon Kholmurodov, along with delegations from both countries.
The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in the light industry sector and leveraging Uzbekistan’s industrial expertise to support Afghanistan’s manufacturing development.
Key areas of cooperation included standard cotton cultivation in Afghanistan, cotton processing, yarn production, and the proposed relocation of cotton-processing, leather, and cashmere factories from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan. The two sides also explored opportunities for producing leather boots and textiles within Afghanistan, while facilitating the export of Uzbek-made garments to Afghan markets.
Officials additionally reviewed plans to transfer 20 factories from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan across multiple industrial sectors, a move seen as a significant step toward boosting Afghanistan’s domestic production capacity and employment opportunities.
The meeting also addressed the organisation of a specialised international light industry exhibition at the Termez joint market and the promotion of joint investment projects in Afghanistan’s yarn production industry.
At the conclusion of the talks, both sides appointed technical and liaison teams to oversee follow-up measures and coordinate the implementation of the agreed initiatives.
