Kazakhstan and Afghanistan Strengthen Economic and Mining Cooperation

Senior officials from Afghanistan and Kazakhstan have reiterated their commitment to enhancing economic relations, with a strong focus on expanding collaboration in the mining sector.

During a high-level meeting, Afghanistan’s Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Mullah Hedayatullah Badri, met with Serik Zhumangarin, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

Both sides highlighted the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries and underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral trade and investment.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, Minister Badri opened the talks by addressing key economic and trade matters, stressing the need for broader collaboration, especially in resource development.

Zhumangarin praised the historical ties between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan and reiterated his country’s readiness to expand cooperation. He emphasized that Kazakhstan is committed to fostering strong, mutually beneficial partnerships and sees significant potential in Afghanistan’s resource-rich landscape.

Representatives from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and executives of its leading mining companies also attended the meeting. They provided detailed briefings on their operations and expressed their interest in contributing to Afghanistan’s mining sector. They cited Kazakhstan’s considerable expertise in mineral exploration and extraction and said they are prepared to invest in copper, gold, and rare metal mining projects in Afghanistan.

Engineer Waheedullah Halimi, representing the Afghan side, shared technical insights into the country’s large and small-scale mining sites and explained the framework of related contracts. He also called for cooperation in hydrocarbon exploration, indicating Afghanistan’s openness to joint ventures in oil and gas.

The meeting concluded with both parties stressing the importance of expanding trade and economic cooperation. They agreed that technical teams from both countries would continue to engage in detailed discussions and follow-up meetings to move proposed initiatives forward.