Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said he hopes travel between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan will one day take place without the need for visas or passports.
Baradar made the remarks on Thursday during a ceremony marking the reopening of the fifth section of the Hairatan–Mazar-i-Sharif railway project in northern Afghanistan.
Speaking at the event, Baradar said the Taliban place special importance on expanding relations with Uzbekistan and are seeking to strengthen bilateral cooperation based on what he described as “goodwill.”
He also announced the formation of a special committee led by the governor of Balkh province to address possible issues between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan and facilitate broader cooperation between the two sides.
In another part of his speech, Baradar called on Afghan businessmen and investors living abroad to return to Afghanistan and invest in different sectors of the country’s economy.
He claimed the Taliban would guarantee security for investors and said businesses could operate in Afghanistan “with peace of mind.”
The reopening ceremony for the railway section was attended by Taliban officials, Uzbek government representatives, local authorities from Balkh province, and residents from the area.
Officials from the Taliban’s Ministry of Public Works in Balkh said the railway, construction, and infrastructure components of the project cost approximately $6.3 million under agreements with Uzbekistan.
According to Taliban authorities, the entire cost of the project was paid through the ministry’s budget.
In recent months, the Taliban have intensified efforts to expand economic and transit relations with Central Asian countries, particularly Uzbekistan, as part of a broader strategy to reduce political isolation and strengthen regional cooperation.
