Key Minerals in Afghanistan: Kazakhstan Expresses Interest in Mining Development and Railway Construction
Agency News from Kazinform — During a visit to Afghanistan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangalin held talks with Afghan leadership, engaging in in-depth discussions on issues including mining development, transportation and logistics, economic and trade cooperation, and infrastructure construction.
Zhumangalin held separate meetings with Afghan Acting Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund and Acting Vice Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar.
Akhund welcomed the Kazakh delegation and expressed gratitude for long-standing support provided by the President of Kazakhstan to the people of Afghanistan. Both sides emphasized that, in addition to ongoing humanitarian aid, Kazakhstan has supported Afghanistan's development through scholarship programs, medical assistance, and talent cultivation.
Cooperation in the fields of mining and metallurgy emerged as one of the key topics during the talks.
As an important center for mining and metallurgy in Central Asia, Kazakhstan possesses strong capabilities in processing non-ferrous metals, ferrous metals, rare metals, and precious metals. Kazakh enterprises have shown significant interest in participating in the development of Afghanistan’s mineral resources and industrial projects.
During discussions with Afghan leaders, Kazakhstan proposed resolving the issue of exporting raw-grade aquamarine materials, so they could be transported to Kazakhstan for further processing.
Last October, experts from the "Tau-Ken Samruk" company visited the Pam- Kakrak zinc mine in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, to conduct sampling. Subsequently, Kazzinc completed laboratory analysis, confirming the feasibility of processing these ores within Kazakh enterprises.
"We are interested in importing zinc ore from Afghanistan. Kazakh enterprises have extensive experience in technological upgrades, engineering design, equipment supply, and commissioning services," said Serik Zhumangalin.
In addition, Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) plans to participate in the exploration and development of Afghanistan’s chromium resources. As a major global developer of chromium ore and producer of ferroalloys, ERG aims to leverage its technical expertise and industry experience in relevant construction projects.
Transportation and logistics cooperation was also a central topic of discussion.
Kazakhstan stated it is advancing the construction of the Herat railway project and hopes to continue involvement in infrastructure projects within Afghanistan. The two sides focused on the prospects for developing a trans-Afghan transport corridor.
Zhumangalin emphasized Kazakhstan’s support for the construction of the "Central Asia–South Asia" (CASA) trans-Afghan transport corridor. Once completed, this corridor will have an annual freight capacity of 10 million tons and connect Pakistan’s Karachi Port and Gwadar Port.
"We are willing to collaborate with our partners from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan on the Mazar-i-Sharif–Herat and Turgon-Di–Herat railway projects," he said.
Expanding bilateral trade was another important topic discussed.
The two sides confirmed their commitment to promoting Afghan agricultural products into Kazakhstan’s large retail chains. Initial products include pomegranates, grapes, apricots, plums, watermelons, melons, early-season vegetables, nuts, and other fruits and vegetables.
At the same time, Kazakhstan reported growth in flour exports to Afghanistan, particularly increasing supply to the Herat region.
After the talks, both sides discussed issues such as bilateral settlement mechanisms that hinder the implementation of cooperative projects and agreed on specific solutions.
Both parties reiterated their intention to further expand cooperation in trade, transportation, industry, communications, and people-to-people exchanges.
Previously, reports indicated that Kazakhstan and Afghanistan aim to increase bilateral trade to $3 billion. Recently, the Kazakh delegation led by Serik Zhumangalin arrived in Kabul carrying 318.8 tons of humanitarian aid supplies and a medical team.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868679026436169/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.