Afghanistan and Belarus Expand Trade and Energy Cooperation

The Government of Afghanistan and the Government of Belarus have moved to deepen economic ties through a series of high-level meetings focused on industrialization and energy. During the second meeting of the Afghanistan-Belarus Joint Commission for Economic and Trade Cooperation in Minsk, delegations co-chaired by Afghan Agriculture Minister Mawlawi Attaullah Omari and Belarusian Agriculture and Food Minister Yuri Gorlov prioritized the assembly of agricultural machinery, chemical fertilizer production, and the refining of oil and minerals in Afghanistan.

To ensure these projects move forward, the two nations agreed to form a joint working group led by deputy ministers. This framework aims to facilitate the training of Afghan specialists and the creation of banking and money-transfer mechanisms to support bilateral trade.

Following the commission meeting, discussions shifted toward specific energy logistics. Belarusian Deputy Trade Minister Vlad Mirvoyevich Ryzhkovsky and senior oil officials met with Afghan Acting Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry Ahmadullah Zahid to discuss the transportation and import of petroleum products. Belarus expressed readiness to sign direct agreements with both Afghan government institutions and private-sector companies to facilitate these imports, as Afghanistan seeks to diversify its trade partnerships and attract foreign investment into its energy sector.