Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, on Thursday officially reopened the fifth section of the Hairatan–Mazar-e-Sharif railway line in northern Balkh province, marking another step in Afghanistan’s efforts to expand its rail infrastructure and regional trade connectivity.

Speaking at the reopening ceremony, Baradar praised the Ministry of Public Works for its efforts in developing Afghanistan’s railway network and expressed appreciation for Uzbekistan’s cooperation in the project.

He said economic and commercial ties between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have strengthened significantly in recent years, adding that a joint committee led by the governor of Balkh and involving relevant institutions has been established to further enhance bilateral cooperation.

Officials said the newly reopened section of the railway is 70 kilometers long and includes 30 kilometers of branch lines, five railway stations, and the capacity to unload up to 50 wagons simultaneously.

The government said the reopening of the railway section is expected to improve the transportation of commercial goods, increase trade volume, and facilitate regional economic connectivity between Afghanistan and neighboring countries.

The Hairatan–Mazar-e-Sharif railway is considered one of Afghanistan’s most important trade corridors, linking the country to Central Asia through Uzbekistan.

Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have discussed the transfer of 20 light industry factories to Afghanistan as part of efforts to deepen economic cooperation and expand industrial investment between the two countries.

According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the discussions took place during a bilateral meeting between Nooruddin Azizi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, and Nozimjon Kholmurodov, head of the Light Industry Development Agency under Uzbekistan’s Council of Ministers, along with their respective delegations.

The talks focused on strengthening collaboration in the light industry sector and making use of Uzbekistan’s experience in manufacturing and industrial development.

Key topics included standard cotton cultivation in Afghanistan, cotton processing and yarn production, as well as the relocation of cotton processing, leather and cashmere factories from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan. The two sides also discussed the production of leather boots and textiles in Afghanistan and the export of Uzbek-made garments to Afghan markets.

Officials further reviewed plans for transferring 20 factories from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan across various industrial sectors.

Discussions also covered organizing a specialized international light industry exhibition at the Termez joint market and promoting joint investment in Afghanistan’s yarn production industry.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides introduced technical and liaison teams tasked with following up on the implementation of the agreed initiatives.