Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan Join Forces to Tap Afghan Market and Broaden Regional Trade

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are accelerating efforts to deepen bilateral economic cooperation while jointly expanding into new regional markets with Afghanistan emerging as a key near-term priority. The push forms part of a wider strategy by both Central Asian nations to diversify exports, strengthen supply chain connectivity, and unlock trade opportunities across the Middle East and South Asia.

The initiative took center stage at the Uzbek-Kazakh Business Forum, held recently in Tashkent. According to local Uzbek media, the event brought together business leaders, industry associations, and trade officials from both countries to explore collaborative pathways for promoting their products in third-country markets. Particular attention was given to Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq all of which are seen as high-potential destinations for foodstuffs, construction materials, and industrial goods.

Afghanistan figured prominently throughout the discussions. Participants highlighted that Kazakhstan’s exports to Afghanistan reached nearly $500 million** during the first seven months of 2025 a figure that already approaches the country’s total Afghan export volume for the entirety of 2024. Officials noted that this upward trajectory is only the beginning, with a stated long-term ambition to boost annual exports to **$3 billion. The growing trade flow reflects both countries’ confidence in Afghanistan’s market potential, despite ongoing political and logistical challenges.

On the import side, the forum also shed light on Afghanistan’s role as a supplier of mineral raw materials. Delegates discussed a proposed agreement to supply Afghan zinc ore to the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex in Uzbekistan one of the region’s largest industrial assets. Such a deal would not only secure critical inputs for Uzbek industry but also create a more balanced and sustainable trade ecosystem between the three countries.

Beyond Afghanistan, the forum turned its gaze westward to Syria and Iraq, where post-conflict reconstruction is expected to generate sustained demand for a wide range of products. Participants examined emerging business opportunities in these markets, particularly in the food, construction, and light manufacturing sectors. To capitalize on this demand, both sides agreed to organize joint business missions to Aleppo, Syria, in late September and Erbil, Iraq, in early October, with the goal of forging direct commercial ties and scouting investment prospects.

Logistics and transport efficiencies were another central theme. Officials discussed leveraging the available capacity on Turkish freight trucks transiting through Uzbekistan a move designed to reduce shipping costs and shorten delivery times to Middle Eastern and South Asian markets. By optimizing existing transit routes, both countries aim to lower trade barriers and make their exports more competitive on the global stage.

The forum concluded with a shared commitment to deeper collaboration, including the establishment of working groups to monitor export progress and resolve regulatory hurdles. The growing alignment between Tashkent and Astana signals a broader regional realignment, as Central Asian states increasingly look beyond traditional partners and embrace a more interconnected, multi-directional trade architecture. For Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Afghanistan is not merely a neighboring market it is a gateway to a larger economic future.

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