In a significant move towards regional collaboration, Pakistan hosted the first trilateral commerce ministers’ meeting with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan on Tuesday. Co-chaired by Commerce Ministers Ejaz Gohar (Pakistan) and Nuruddin Azizi (Afghanistan), along with Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Jamshid Khodjaev Abdukhakomovich (Uzbekistan), the meeting pledged to boost trade and foreign investment.
The official announcement released post-meeting highlighted the exploration of investment prospects in various sectors, aiming to facilitate joint ventures, public-private partnerships, and increased foreign direct investment. The focus of discussions included strategies to reduce trade barriers, simplify customs procedures, and promote smoother cross-border trade. Additionally, participants deliberated on enhancing transportation networks and infrastructure development to facilitate the movement of goods.
Minister Ejaz emphasized the potential economic growth stemming from trilateral cooperation, envisioning new market opportunities and expanded economies for Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan by leveraging their strengths and resources.
The Afghan embassy in Islamabad, via a tweet, informed about the participation of a delegation from Afghanistan, led by Minister Nuruddin Azizi. The discussions centered around advancing the trans-Afghan project, trilateral transit and trade, overcoming obstacles to regional connectivity, and other relevant issues.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar highlighted key factors for boosting trade between Pakistan and Uzbekistan during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Khodjaev and a seven-member delegation. Mr. Kakar stressed the importance of easy visa procedures, improved banking channels, and reciprocal warehousing facilities. He expressed optimism about the business communities of both countries achieving the bilateral trade target of $1 billion shortly.
The Uzbek deputy prime minister, in turn, briefed Mr. Kakar about successful meetings with Pakistan’s business community, including the banking and logistics sectors. He expressed hope for continued active engagement to ensure the timely completion of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway project.
Mr. Kakar commended the trilateral meeting’s outcomes, expressing hope that the established mechanism would strengthen trade relations among the three countries. Emphasizing the need for ongoing people-to-people exchanges, he anticipated a positive impact on the region’s economic landscape.
The prime minister’s satisfaction with the trilateral meeting’s results and the establishment of a working group to discuss customs, logistics, trade promotion, tariffs, TIR procedures, etc., signals a commitment to fostering sustainable economic ties between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan.
