Kazakhstan Eyes Afghan Mineral Resources in New Trade Push

Kazakhstan and Afghanistan signed commercial agreements worth $140 mln during a business forum held in Kabul, attended by around 50 companies from various sectors.

The countries agreed to establish a joint geological commission to explore investment opportunities in Afghanistan’s mineral sector. A Kazakh team recently collected 130 kg of ore samples in Nuristan Province, potentially containing lead, zinc and beryllium. The samples will be analysed in Kazakhstan.

Talks also covered the creation of trade houses in Astana and Kabul, and the possible export of QazTehna buses to Afghanistan.

Kazakhstan offered support in laying optical fibre along the planned Torghundi–Herat railway. A technical commission will be formed to assess mineral reserves, with another group of Kazakh experts set to visit Afghanistan in May.