Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, departed for Uzbekistan on Saturday leading a high-level delegation for diplomatic and trade discussions.
The delegation includes Hidayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum; Hamidullah Akhundzada, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation; Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Trade; Ataullah Omari, Minister of Agriculture; and Noor Ahmad Agha, Governor of the Taliban-controlled Central Bank.
According to a statement from Baradar’s office, the two-day visit aims to strengthen political and economic relations between the Taliban administration and Uzbekistan. The delegation is scheduled to meet with Uzbek officials in Tashkent to explore opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation.
While Uzbekistan, like other nations, has not officially recognised the Taliban government, it maintains extensive diplomatic and economic ties with the group. The Afghan embassy in Tashkent has also been handed over to Taliban representatives.
Prior to the Taliban delegation’s visit, Uzbekistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ismatulla Irgashev, met with US Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Jonathan Henick, to discuss Afghanistan-related matters.
