Taliban Announces Joint Trade Exhibition with Uzbekistan

The Taliban's Ministry of Industry and Commerce has announced that a joint exhibition of Afghan and Uzbek products has been held in Tashkent.

In a statement, the ministry reported that 75 Afghan companies showcased their products in 140 booths at the exhibition.

According to the statement, the exhibited products included industrial goods, handicrafts, and minerals.

The Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency reported that along with the exhibition, Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban's Minister of Commerce, also traveled to Uzbekistan.
According to the news agency, Azizi emphasised on mutual benefits in expanding bilateral and regional transit relations while attending a trade communication meeting.

Bakhtar added that Azizi encouraged Uzbek investors to invest in Afghanistan, citing the country's "untapped natural resources”.

Previously, the Taliban administration announced that it had granted numerous mining concessions to various domestic and foreign companies.

Despite widespread criticism regarding the unchecked extraction of Afghanistan's mineral resources, the Taliban occasionally announce new contracts with domestic and foreign investors for mining.

Critics and opponents of the Taliban have described the mining activities since the group's rise to power as the "plunder" of resources. However, the Taliban have not responded to these criticisms.