The Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan are intensifying cooperation aimed at developing direct business ties between the private sectors. This was discussed during a meeting between Turkmenistan’s Ambassador in Kabul, Hoja Ovezov, and the head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Seyit Karim Hashemi.

The meeting addressed a number of issues related to expanding ties between the business communities of the two countries, developing trade and economic cooperation, and making more effective use of the opportunities provided by regional transit transport routes.

During the talks, Afghan business representatives were officially invited to participate in the International Investment Forum of Turkmenistan — TIF 2026, which will be held in Ashgabat on October 1–2. The forum is expected to serve as an important platform for establishing new business ties between representatives of the private sectors of the two countries and developing investment cooperation.

The sides also paid particular attention to the effective functioning of cross-border trade and logistics infrastructure. The leadership of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry noted that Turkmenistan’s important trade and logistics centers on the border with Afghanistan — the Torgundi border crossing in Herat Province and the Akina border crossing in Faryab Province — are operating normally.

The uninterrupted movement of commercial vehicles through these crossings is of great importance for increasing trade turnover between the two countries and developing freight transportation from Turkmenistan to the countries of South Asia.

According to the sides, the effective operation of border infrastructure and the expansion of direct ties between private-sector representatives could open up new opportunities for trade and economic cooperation in the region.