The Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Business Council held its first meeting on March 26 in Tashkent. The delegations were led by the chairmen of the respective Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Davron Vakhabov and Muhammad Karim Hashimi.
According to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Uzbekistan, the council consists of 32 members. This includes the leadership of the CCI and industry associations from Uzbekistan, and chiefs of the CCI and leading companies from Afghanistan. They represent sectors such as construction materials, textiles, electrical engineering, petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, the food industry, and more.
The chief of the Uzbekistan CCI Davron Vakhabov expressed confidence that the council will facilitate direct dialogue between entrepreneurs, foster new partnerships, and boost investment activity.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the ways to expand economic ties, developing direct cooperation between business owners, and implementing new joint projects.
The key topics of the meeting were boosting exports, digital customs systems, developing financial and insurance services, and ensuring transparency in trade processes, with plans outlined for holding regular exhibitions and business forums.
In early March, the President Mirziyoyev approved a Preferential Trade Agreement with Afghanistan, which was signed in Tashkent last summer.
Over the past five years, the bilateral trade between the two countries has increased 2.5 times—rising from $653 million in 2021 to $1.68 billion in 2025 (Uzbekistan exports standing at $1.5 billion). The parties have set a future target of $5 billion.
