The caretaker government of Afghanistan, formed by the Taliban movement, pledged to fully pay off debts to Uzbekistan for electricity, the Deputy PM/Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade Sardor Umurzakov told in an interview to Russian journalists on Saturday.

According to him, Uzbekistan held discussions with representatives of the caretaker government, who are responsible for the energy sector, including the Electric Networks of Afghanistan company (ENA).

“An agreement was reached that as soon as the situation allows-and there are a number of challenges associated with the functioning of the banking system of Afghanistan and with the recognition of the caretaker government <...>-colleagues at ENA will immediately will pay off all the outstanding debt. But, despite this, we continue to supply electricity, "- TASS quoted the Deputy PM.

He added that Tashkent "did not stop supplies to Kabul for one hour," Afghanistan "receives electricity in full from Uzbekistan in accordance with its needs." According to him, the main reason for this decision is the desire "to provide support to the brotherly Afghan people at this difficult time."

Earlier, on October 16, the Uzbek delegation led by Sardor Umurzakov held talks with the Afghan delegation in Termez. The Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that the parties discussed the ways to boost the two-way trade, especially in the coming winter, as well as an increase in the volume of fuel supplied to Afghanistan and essential goods, transit capacities for Afghan businesses, cooperation in the health sector, the Surkhan-Puli-Khumri power line and the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway projects.

In early October, it was reported that the Afghan energy company owed more than $ 51 million for electricity to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Representatives of the company then asked the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan to provide $ 90 million to pay off debts.

On September 21, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, within the framework of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, called on the world community to prevent the isolation of Afghanistan, emphasizing that his country regularly supplies its neighbors with food, oil products and electricity.