Uzbekistan builds a Transit Hub at its border with Afghanistan

Uzbekistan has established a transit hub at its border with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in order to promote trade and transit ties between the two countries. The development project established in Uzbekistan’s Termez city includes a railway line and station, a Trade Center for commercial goods and roads for transporting of goods. Uzbekistan is also interested in investing over USD 500 million in the construction of a 660 km railway line from Mazar-e-Sharif to Herat Province which will connect Uzbekistan to Iran through Afghanistan. “Now most of our transit problems in Uzbekistan have been solved. Now Afghanistan’s goods can be transited to Russia and China through Uzbekistan’s Andi Jan port,” said an Afghan senior official.

Breaking: Pakistan blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF)

A global anti-money laundering watchdog took the decision to add Pakistan to the grey list of countries involved in providing monetary assistance to terrorism and related causes. The Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), met in Paris on Wednesday 27 June 2018 and confirmed the decision.

FATF is an intergovernmental organization that maintains grey and black lists for identifying countries that have failed to stop money-laundering and who finance terrorism.

Presenting Pakistan's case at the FATF talks in Paris, Shamshad Akhtar, the interim minister for finance and planning, detailed steps taken by Pakistan to stem money laundering and terror financing. However, these steps appeared not to have been enough as the 37-nation FATF plenary agreed to add Pakistan to the list.

Four Afghan ministers have resigned during last two weeks

Afghan Finance Minister Hakimi has resigned and his resignation has been approved. Without disclosing further information, the Minister said he has stepped down from his post due to family issues. This comes as the Minister of Trade and Commerce and the Minister of Information and Technology stepped down from their positions earlier. Two weeks ago, the Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Sayed Mansoor Sadat Naderi, resigned due to health issues.

The Emirates to hold Afghanistan Premier League of Cricket in the United Arab Emirates

The Emirates Cricket Board in a letter sent to the International Cricket Council has approved to hold Afghanistan Premier League of Cricket in United Arab Emirates. The Emirates Cricket Board has said that the event will start in October in UAE after approval of the ICC, the Afghanistan Cricket Board said in a statement on Wednesday. Five teams, 80 Afghan and 20 foreign cricketers will compete in the T20 Premier League in the UAE. Afghanistan has come a long way since making their World T20 debut in 2010, having qualified for the last 50-over World Cup in Australia and recently beating Ireland across the three formats ODIs, T20 Internationals, and First-Class in a series played at their adopted home ground in Greater Noida in India.

Afghanistan and Uzbekistan officials discussed the establishment of a free trade zone in the border areas between the two countries

Over 40 representatives of public and private sectors of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan participated in a meeting which was organized by the European Union and the International Trade Center. On the sideline of the meeting, Afghan and Uzbek representatives of private sector signed an agreement on establishing a joint trade center in Uzbekistan’s Termez City. Trade volume between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan will increase significantly after creation of the trade zone.

“The President Ashraf Ghani in his last meeting with President of Uzbekistan invited Uzbek investors to invest in Herat mines. It was interesting for Uzbek investors and we want Uzbekistan to invest in other mines too,” an Afghan official said.

"It is a good platform to introduce to Afghan businessmen our products. Except that we are now thinking about and already discussed the possibility of the border trade,” said Jamshid Khodjaev, Minister of Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan.

The European Union and the International Trade Center officials said organizing such meetings will play a crucial role in improving trade ties between the two countries.

“Since the improvement of our relations with Uzbekistan in terms of trade, we have been witnessing good progress in this regard,”  the deputy head of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said.

A biz travel guide to Afghanistan