The Kabul Tribune (KT) — A Taliban-led Afghan delegation held the first joint Afghanistan-Russia economic and trade commission meeting on the sidelines of the 17th Kazan Economic Forum in Russia.
The delegation, headed by Taliban Minister of Higher
Education Neda Mohammad Nadeem, met with Russian officials to discuss expanding
economic, trade and transit cooperation, as well as attracting investment
between the two sides.
According to a statement, the meeting resulted in the
formation of joint technical teams tasked with coordinating and advancing
discussions on key areas of cooperation between Afghanistan and Russia.
Participants included Russian Deputy Minister of Industry
and Trade Gruzdev and Taliban Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin
Azizi, along with representatives from multiple Afghan ministries, including
finance, economy, public works, public health, foreign affairs, energy,
agriculture and mining, as well as the state-owned oil and gas company.
Economic and political ties between Afghanistan and Russia
have expanded in recent years, particularly following the Taliban’s return to
power. Both sides have sought to strengthen cooperation in trade, energy,
transit and investment.
Russia, a key economic player in the region, has been
working to deepen its engagement with Afghanistan through Central Asia, while
the Taliban have prioritized regional cooperation to reduce economic isolation.
