ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 29. Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, Serik Zhumangarin, and Afghanistan’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Nooruddin Azizi, discussed the prospects of establishing a Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan transit corridor, including the construction of the Herat–Turghundi railway route, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Economy.
The discussions took place on the sidelines of the Kazakhstan–Afghanistan Business Forum and the Afghan Goods Exhibition in Shymkent.
“Afghanistan is one of Kazakhstan’s key trading partners in South Asia. Our countries have significant potential to expand cooperation both bilaterally and across the region,” emphasized Zhumangarin at the business forum.
Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $545.2 million last year, and $335.9 million in the first eight months of 2025. Despite some declines in individual product supplies, this year has seen a 2.9-fold increase in Kazakhstan’s wheat exports, a 3.1-fold rise in sunflower oil exports, and a doubling of shipments of petroleum products and commercial vehicles.
“According to forecasts, Kazakhstan’s wheat export potential alone will reach 9.6 million tons this year. Kazakhstan is interested in expanding exports of high-quality grain, flour, rice, and sugar to Afghanistan. Production of these products in Kazakhstan continues to grow annually due to the application of modern agricultural technologies,” noted the Vice Prime Minister.
The forum also focused on prospects for joint development in the mining and metallurgical, automotive, chemical, and construction sectors. The Kazakh side expressed readiness to consider increasing supplies of domestically produced railway locomotives and commercial vehicles to Afghanistan.