Afghanistan and Kazakhstan Expand Trade Through $140 Million in New Deals

Kazakhstan and Afghanistan are strengthening their economic partnership through new trade agreements and ambitious infrastructure plans, highlighted by $140 million in export deals signed during a recent business forum in Kabul.

The agreements were finalized during an official Kazakh delegation’s visit to the Afghan capital, where QazTrade, Kazakhstan’s trade policy development center, and the Ministry of Trade and Integration held talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government. The deals include the supply of various Kazakh goods to Afghanistan.

The Afghanistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum brought together more than 400 business leaders, entrepreneurs, and government officials from both countries. Kazakh manufacturers showcased products from sectors including agribusiness and textiles, signaling Kazakhstan’s growing interest in expanding its presence in the Afghan market.

During the forum, QazTrade signed three memorandums of cooperation with key Afghan institutions: the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines, and the International Exhibition Center of Afghanistan. These agreements build on a broader economic roadmap signed in October 2024, aimed at long-term bilateral cooperation.

Afghanistan’s government has been actively encouraging investment and trade partnerships as it seeks to rebuild the country’s war-torn economy.

The latest economic mission is part of Kazakhstan’s ongoing effort to implement commitments made during a previous business forum held in Almaty.

In June 2024, Kazakhstan officially removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the decision was intended to support regional trade and cooperation. At a Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Almaty, he described Afghanistan’s integration into interregional economic processes as a strategic priority.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghanistan has remained a complex but increasingly important trading partner for Kazakhstan. In 2022, mutual trade between the two countries approached $1 billion – a significant increase compared to previous years.

Kazakhstan is a key supplier of food products to Afghanistan, particularly flour, which accounted for 70 percent of Afghan imports from Kazakhstan in 2022. In return, Kazakhstan imports goods such as sweet, non-alcoholic beverages. Currently, more than 50 Kazakh-Afghan joint ventures operate in Kazakhstan, primarily in the trade sector.

For Kazakhstan, Afghanistan’s strategic location – bordering South Asia and near major markets such as Pakistan, India, and the Middle East – makes it an essential partner in regional trade routes. This has spurred major transport initiatives, including plans to develop railway infrastructure across Afghanistan.

A notable breakthrough came with the signing of a protocol of intent to begin construction of the Turgundi-Herat-Kandahar-Spin Boldak railway line. The agreement was reached during a visit to Afghanistan this week by Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, Serik Zhumangarin.