Uzbekistan To Invest $1 Billion In Afghanistan's Energy Sector

The Taliban's deputy prime minister announced on Thursday that the contract for the extraction of gas reserves in the Faryab field has been awarded to an Uzbekistani company.

The statement said that Uzbekistan will invest about $1 billion in the 10-year contract.

A statement issued by the office of Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's deputy prime minister, said that the contract was signed between the Taliban's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and the Uzbekistani company.

The details of the contract state that the Uzbekistani company will invest $100 million in the first year and $1 billion in 10 years.

The Taliban said that the gas reserves of Tooti Maidan in Faryab province have an area of about 7,000 square kilometres.

According to the Taliban's Minister of Mines, Hidayatullah Badri, the agreement will largely meet Afghanistan's energy needs.

Ismatulla Irgashev, Special Envoy of the President of Uzbekistan, said during a visit to Afghanistan about the investment that thousands of job opportunities and the revival of Afghanistan's national economy are planned.

At the same time, Darya News Agency quoted experts as saying that the agreements signed between Uzbekistan and the Taliban are part of Uzbekistan's strategy to strengthen its influence in the region and create new economic opportunities.

Political scientist Oybek Sirojov said that Afghanistan is a promising market for Uzbekistan.

According to Uzbekistan experts, the country has the necessary leverage over the Taliban, including controlling a significant portion of the humanitarian aid entering Afghanistan that passes through Uzbekistan's railways. In addition, Tashkent also supplies cable power. Another political affairs expert said that these factors create opportunities for Uzbekistan to put pressure on the Taliban.