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Kazakhstan, Afghanistan interested in resuming trade — Kazakh president’s office

The Kazakh presidential envoy noted that 5,000 tonnes of flour had been delivered to Afghanistan as humanitarian aid at President Tokayev’s instruction

NUR-SULTAN, October 17. /TASS/. Kazakhstan and Afghanistan are interested in resuming traditional trade and economic ties, the press service of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Sunday after the visit of his special envoy for international cooperation Yerzhan Kazykhan to Afghanistan.

"The Kazakh presidential envoy met with representatives of the current Afghan administration Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Amir Jan Mutaki. The sides discussed issues of Kazakhstan’s humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and resuming trade and economic ties," it said.

According to the press service, the sides expressed mutual interest in resuming traditional trade and economic ties and continuing educational programs for Afghan students in Kazakhstan.

The Kazakh presidential envoy noted that 5,000 tonnes of flour had been delivered to Afghanistan as humanitarian aid at President Tokayev’s instruction. He also handed over Kazakhstan’s proposal to supply Kazakhstan-made QazVac coronavirus vaccine. Apart from that, he informed about Kazakhstan’s steps taken jointly with United Nations agencies to expand humanitarian deliveries to Afghanistan. "The Afghan side expressed gratitude for the humanitarian aid and stressed the weighty contribution made by our country to the international efforts toward Afghanistan’s recovery," the press service said.

Kazykhan also met with UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Deborah Lyons to discuss issues of closer cooperation between Kazakhstan and the United Nations to help overcome the humanitarian and food crisis in Afghanistan.

After the Biden administration announced the end of its US military operation in Afghanistan and the launch of its troop pullout, the Taliban embarked on an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance and gained full control over the Afghan capital within a few hours. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani said he had stepped down to prevent any bloodshed and subsequently fled the country. On September 6, the Taliban said they had taken control of the entire country and announced a new interim government the following day. However, this government’s legitimacy has not been recognized by any state.

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