WNAM MONITORING: Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan have established a joint Business Council aimed at boosting bilateral trade and promoting new investment projects, as Bishkek deepens economic engagement with Afghanistan following the removal of the Taliban from its list of banned organizations.
The agreement to create the council was signed during an Afghan-Kyrgyz business forum in Bishkek, where officials and business leaders from both countries discussed opportunities in trade, agriculture, food processing, construction, and logistics.
The new body is intended to serve as a permanent platform for direct dialogue between entrepreneurs, support joint initiatives, and coordinate business missions, according to Kyrgyz officials.
Opening the forum, Temir Sariev, head of Kyrgyzstan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the move marked a new stage in bilateral economic relations.
“Today, we are creating more than just a new structure. We are laying a solid foundation for systemic business interaction, which will increase trade volumes, attract investment, and open up new opportunities for entrepreneurs in Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan,” Sariev said.
According to Sariev, Kyrgyz exports to Afghanistan reached a record $50.4 million in 2024.
The Afghan delegation was led by Sayed Karim Hashemi, who said Afghan businesses were particularly interested in expanding cooperation in agriculture, trade, and infrastructure projects.
Trade between the two countries has accelerated since Kyrgyzstan removed the Taliban from its list of prohibited organizations in September 2024, a move the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said was intended to support regional stability and strengthen constructive dialogue.
