Trade relations between Afghanistan and regional countries particularly Uzbekistan, China, Iran and Pakistan have been boosted and doubled in recent months. As Afghanistan is a landlocked country and does not have access to the sea, maintaining trade relations between Afghanistan and regional countries is crucial.
Afghanistan has many economic opportunities in terms of trade and transit due to its special geographical location in the region as it is a connecting bridge between Central Asia and South Asia.
Last week, the first part of the Termez International Trade Center on the border of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan was opened, showing increasing trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. One of the main aims of creating the joint center is to boost trade relations between the two countries.
Bakhtiar Roziof, head of the trade center, said the joint market has been created with the aim of developing economic and commercial cooperation between the businessmen of the two countries.
The market has four thousand shops, a health center, a restaurant, and a separate area for production and logistics and the shop started their activities.
It has been said that with the completion of the work of all parts of this trade market, Afghan citizens can enter this market without a visa and stay for up to ten days.
“At least $75 million has been invested in this big project, and created big trade facilities for traders of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan,” said Roziof.
Bakhtiar said the second part of the market will be open in the first three months of 2023 for traders. An Afghan investor said establishing the market is important for improving investment in the country.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment said that finding a way for Afghanistan’s products in any market is essential for the country’s economy.
“It benefits Afghanistan if its products everywhere have a good market. Efforts are underway to boost the market for the products,” said Mohammad Yonis Mohmand, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment in Afghanistan.
Thousands of Afghans are living in neighboring countries including Uzbekistan, where most of them are engaged in trade. The joint trade center which has been created in the border area will play a vital role in boosting trade between the two countries.
Currently, with the improvement of security across Afghanistan and at the same time with increasing economic crisis in the country, the economic and trade relations with neighboring countries play a vital role in controlling the crises.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is working to find better ways for boosting trade and economic relations with regional countries. In recent months, Afghanistan exports to the regional countries have unprecedentedly increasing comparing to previous years. Shukria
Trade between Afghanistan & regional countries on the rise
