Ahmadullah Zahid, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and Zoyir Toirovich Mirzayev, Governor of Tashkent, held talks on expanding economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce said on Tuesday that the meeting focused on investment opportunities, industrial cooperation, increasing the role of the private sector, and strengthening bilateral trade relations.

Zahid described Afghanistan as a suitable market for investment and encouraged investors from Uzbekistan to invest in industry, trade, and other available economic sectors.

He also invited the Governor of Tashkent to visit Afghanistan and personally explore the existing investment opportunities.

According to the ministry, Mirzayev welcomed the expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries and stressed the need for greater coordination to boost investment and trade. He also pledged to visit Kabul next month, along with a delegation of around 100 Uzbek traders.

Both sides expressed hope that such meetings would further strengthen economic ties between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan and create new opportunities for joint investments.

Bruno Lemarquis, the newly appointed Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, as well as Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, officially assumed his duties in Kabul on Tuesday.

Appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, he succeeds Indrika Ratwatte in the role.

Lemarquis will oversee the coordination of UN agencies and programs across Afghanistan and lead the development pillar of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

He brings more than three decades of UN experience, having previously held senior positions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti.

Representatives from the European Union, Central Asian states, and the United Nations gathered on Monday in Kazakhstan’s Almaty for high-level discussions aimed at strengthening coordination on Afghanistan, with an emphasis on regional stability, connectivity, and long-term socio-economic development.

The meeting, the eighth session of EU and Central Asian Special Representatives on Afghanistan, brought together delegations from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, alongside the EU and the UN, according to Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry press service. Participants reviewed recent developments in Afghanistan and assessed their implications for regional security, stressing the importance of unified international engagement.

A central focus of the talks was the development of transport and transit corridors through Afghanistan to boost trade links between Central and South Asia and expand connectivity with Europe. Kazakhstan reaffirmed its commitment to diplomatic solutions, confidence-building measures, and cooperation under the framework of the United Nations.

The country also reiterated its support for humanitarian and educational initiatives in Afghanistan, as well as broader efforts to deepen regional economic integration. The United Nations’ role in coordinating international assistance was highlighted, particularly through the UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan based in Almaty.

Delegates described Almaty as an increasingly important hub for multilateral dialogue, reaffirming their shared commitment to continued cooperation aimed at promoting peace, stability, and development across the wider region.