Deputy prime minister for economic affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, on Monday met with a delegation of investors from Uzbekistan.

During the meeting, the Uzbek investors expressed their interest in investing in Afghanistan’s mining sector, particularly in coal mining and processing, as well as coal-based electricity production, said Baradar’s office in a statement.

They also discussed plans for building a standard oil refinery, establishing a cement factory, extracting and processing salt, setting up textile factories, and implementing e-governance initiatives.

The Uzbek investors highlighted that Afghanistan has become an attractive destination for investment and emphasized their readiness to invest and share their expertise in these sectors.

Meanwhile, the Baradar expressed his gratitude to the Uzbek investors for their interest and assured them of the IEA’s full cooperation to facilitate their investment endeavors in Afghanistan.

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The Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced that an expo of Afghanistan’s domestic products will open on Tuesday in the Uzbekistan capital Tashkent.

The ministry said in a statement that the expo will be held under the Islamic Emirate’s economic policies and it aims to strengthen and expand economic, trade, transit, and investment relations between Afghanistan and Central Asian countries, market the country’s products in foreign markets, provide the necessary facilities for the private sector and strengthen business activities abroad.

The event will be attended by 250 industrialists and traders from Afghanistan, who will showcase carpets, handicrafts, precious and semi-precious stones, dried fruits, soft drinks, pressure cookers, and other Afghan products for three days.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce added that a business forum and talks among private sector representatives will also be held on the sidelines of the expo.

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The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) says Uzbekistan investors are interested in investing in coal mining in Afghanistan.

The ministry officials said that these investors intend to export coal from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan.

They added that the talks with Uzbekistan are ongoing and progress has been made in this field in the early stages.

However, they have stated that they have not yet reached the point of agreement.

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) officials also stated that there are capacities in the area of economic activities and development of joint investment with Uzbekistan and all Central Asian countries.

According to them, practical use of these capacities should be started.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum added that the Islamic Emirate has stopped the illegal mining of coal, and mining is carried out legally all over the country based on the permit of large companies.

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