The Taliban announced that Uzbekistan's Prime Minister, Abdulla Aripov, has pledged to facilitate the export of fresh Afghan fruits to Central Asian countries through Uzbek territory.

According to the group, Aripov said this during a meeting with Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, who travelled to Uzbekistan on Thursday.

Baradar visited Uzbekistan to participate in the inauguration of the "Termez International Trade Centre”.

On the sidelines of the event, he met Aripov. According to a statement from Baradar's office, the Uzbek Prime Minister emphasised on Afghanistan's significance in Uzbekistan's foreign policy and expressed Tashkent's readiness to enhance trade and transit relations with Kabul.

In addition to fruit exports, Uzbekistan expressed willingness to collaborate on other key projects, including the development of the railway network from Hairatan to Herat, gas extraction, and the construction of retaining walls along the Amu Darya River.

While Uzbekistan, like many other countries, has not officially recognised the Taliban government, it continues to maintain close political and economic ties with the group.

Meet With Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister

During the same event, Baradar also met with Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister. The Taliban stated that Baradar encouraged both the Azerbaijani government and its private sector to invest in Afghanistan.

Azerbaijan, in turn, expressed its readiness to reactivate the Lapis Lazuli trade route to boost economic ties with Afghanistan.