ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 3. In a bid to strengthen trade ties and foster economic cooperation, Kazakhstan is gearing up to establish a joint trading house with Afghan producers, Trend reports.
The idea was proposed during the Kazakh-Afghan Business Forum held in Astana.
Raimbek Batalov, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Atameken, expressed Kazakhstan's readiness to proceed with the initiative, which would involve the opening of a Kazakhstan-Afghanistan trading house in Kazakhstan equipped with a permanent exhibition showcasing Afghan products.
The city of Almaty is being considered as the potential location for the trading house, as it provides a gateway to Central Asia, Europe, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan, making it an ideal hub for promoting Afghan goods in the region.
Rustam Asulbek, CEO of QazTrade, emphasized that the plan is to facilitate trade and economic activities between the two countries and promote their respective products in each other's markets.
In the first half of the current year, trade between the two countries reached $343.6 million, with $334.5 million accounted for by Kazakhstan's exports. Notably, Afghanistan is the dominant market for Kazakhstan's flour, making up 70 percent of the total flour exports. Additionally, Kazakhstan envisions exporting goods worth $500 million to Afghanistan in the near future, further strengthening their bilateral trade relationship.
On August 3, 2023, the first Kazakh-Afghan business forum is being held in Astana, and on August 4–5, an exhibition of Afghan goods will take place.