Serik Zhumangarin transferred humanitarian aid from Kazakhstan to Afghanistan

On April 15, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Trade and Integration Serik Zhumangarin visited Kabul on a humanitarian and trade mission. Boxes with medicines were handed over immediately at the plane's ramp. The main humanitarian cargo with a total volume of 5,403 tons (81 wagons) arrived by rail, consists of food products (canned milk, vegetable oil, flour, buckwheat groats).

«On behalf of the President, we arrived in Afghanistan to transfer humanitarian aid from the people of Kazakhstan to the Afghan people. As Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has repeatedly noted, the international community and, in particular, Kazakhstan cannot leave the Afghan people in a difficult situation without help. It is symbolic that our humanitarian mission takes place in the holy month of Ramadan, and in this blessed time for all Muslims, let me wish everyone peace and tranquility», — Serik Zhumangarin stressed.

During his visit to Afghanistan, Serik Zhumangarin met with Acting Minister of Trade and Industry of Afghanistan Nuriddin Azizi, Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki, Minister of Communications and Telecommunications Najibullah Haqqani.

«Kazakhstan is one of the few countries that has maintained its diplomatic presence in Kabul and would like to see Afghanistan as a stable and prosperous state that maintains peaceful relations with neighboring countries. We are interested in further developing the existing trade, economic, transport, logistics and energy ties with Afghanistan. As Deputy Prime Minister for Trade, I am confident that our countries have great potential for developing cooperation in the field of trade and on the scale of the entire region. We are ready to continue working on increasing cooperation in the trade and economic sphere, including through the provision of humanitarian assistance. Kazakhstan's export potential to Afghanistan is 46 goods worth $174 million in the food, petrochemical, chemical, metallurgical, light, machine–building, construction and other industries. I believe that the inclusion of these goods in the bilateral trade turnover will be beneficial to both countries», — Serik Zhumangarin addressed the members of the Government at the meetings.

For reference:

The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan in 2022 amounted to $987.9 million, which is 2.1 times higher than in the same period of the previous year ($474.3 million). Exports from Kazakhstan to Afghanistan in 2022 increased 2.1 times and amounted to $978.9 million. Imports to Kazakhstan from Afghanistan in 2022 increased by 82.6% and amounted to $9.1 million. In January-February of this year, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan amounted to $282.6 million, which is 94.6% higher than in the same period of the previous year ($145.2 million). Exports from Kazakhstan to Afghanistan in January-February 2023 increased by 95% and amounted to $281.5 million. Imports to Kazakhstan from Afghanistan in January-February 2023 increased by 28.3% and amounted to $1.1 million.