Afghanistan and Uzbekistan Discuss New Agreements in Mining and Energy Cooperation
Mullah Hidayatullah Badri, Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Behzad Mermodov, Advisor for Foreign Operations at the Ministry of Geology and Minerals of Uzbekistan and CEO of the country’s mining companies, to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in the fields of mining and energy.
Weezha Roz-Kabul–The meeting, held at the office of the Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, centered around Afghanistan’s efforts to attract both domestic and international investment in the mining sector.
Minister Badri emphasized, “We are determined to provide greater opportunities for investors to participate in exploration, extraction, and mineral processing.”
On the other hand, Behzad Mermodov introduced potential joint projects, including the “Tuti” gas field in Wardak province and the Khost iron ore mine.
He announced that Uzbekistan is ready to share its technical and practical experience in exploration, geological surveys, extraction, and mineral processing technologies with Afghanistan.
The Acting Minister of Mines also welcomed the Uzbek proposal and assured that Kabul would facilitate the necessary cooperation to implement these projects.
He added, “This cooperation will not only contribute to the economic growth of both countries but will also strengthen regional stability.”
The meeting concluded with an agreement to form technical committees to examine the details of the cooperation and to sign memoranda of understanding in the near future.
This meeting is part of Afghanistan’s broader efforts to strengthen economic ties with neighboring countries and leverage the region’s mining resources.
Weezha Roz
