BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 10. A delegation of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) has visited Ashgabat to discuss expanding trade and economic cooperation with Turkmenistan.
This was reflected in a press release issued by ACCI.
The delegation traveled to Turkmenistan at the official invitation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, ACCI said.
The delegation included ACCI officials, representatives of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment, the Herat Oil and Gas Union, Afghan traders and business representatives residing in Turkmenistan.
During the visit, ACCI Deputy for Provincial Affairs Faiz Ahmad Khawafi participated in an official meeting at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan with Turkmen business representatives, industrialists and investors.
Khawafi emphasized the long-standing economic ties between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan and called for expanding bilateral trade beyond traditional commercial transactions.
“Trade relations between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan should move beyond conventional buying and selling toward joint investments, the establishment of joint ventures, long-term contracts, and practical economic projects,” he said.
The delegation's visit focused on strengthening regional economic cooperation and creating opportunities for greater private-sector involvement in bilateral relations, the report said.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan share a long land border and have developed economic ties around energy, transport and cross-border trade. Turkmenistan's position on the Caspian Sea and Afghanistan's access to South Asian markets give the two countries complementary roles in regional connectivity.
Energy remains one of the main areas of bilateral economic interaction, while transport infrastructure creates additional opportunities for expanding trade. Turkmenistan has been developing routes linking its territory with Afghanistan and further toward South Asia, including through the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline project and related infrastructure.
Against this backdrop, greater involvement of Afghan and Turkmen private businesses could help shift bilateral economic relations toward longer-term commercial projects, including investment, processing and logistics.
