Afghanistan, Iran To Increase Annual Trade Volume To $10B

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Commerce and Industry says an economic and trade meeting was held in Kabul between Afghan and Iranian officials to increase trade volume between the two countries and follow up on previous commitments.

In a statement, the MoCI said Acting Minister Nooruddin Azizi and Iranian Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade Syed Mohammad Atabak and his accompanying delegation discussed the signing of trade, transit and investment agreements, as well as a preferential tariff to address existing barriers.

It said the meeting stressed resolving issues related to signing a quarantine memorandum of understanding, facilitating quarantine processes, and removing non-tariff restrictions on Afghan agricultural products. Both sides also discussed existing challenges at Milak, Dogharoon, Chabahar and Bandar Abbas ports and obstacles to the transit of Afghan goods.

According to the MoCI, the meeting emphasized holding regular sessions of the joint economic committee to address banking issues, activate the joint commission and its 16 subcommittees.

The report added proposals were made in the meeting, including holding annual Afghan–Iran trade conferences alternately in both countries, the purchase of Afghan cotton, round-the-clock electricity supply at Sheikh Abu Nasr Farahi port, and using 50-container ships instead of 200-container ships at Chabahar port.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Iran pledged to resolve issues and follow up on matters in order to raise the bilateral trade volume to 10 billion US dollars annually, stressing greater coordination and cooperation in trade, transit and investment sectors, the MoCI added.

The high-ranking Iranian economic and trade delegation led by Atabak arrived in Kabul on Monday morning. Yesterday, the delegation met with Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund and discussed trade, transit and investment.

hz/ma

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