A delegation from Uzbekistan's Agency for the Development of the Pharmaceutical Network, led by Director Abdulla Azizov, held a meeting in Kabul with Afghanistan's Minister of Industry and Trade, Nuriddin Azizi. The meeting highlighted the high quality and competitiveness of Uzbek pharmaceutical products, setting a priority goal to increase bilateral trade volume to $500 million. To achieve this, it was noted that establishing a joint operational working group is necessary, with proposals to develop cooperation based on Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards and establish direct partnerships with major distributors.

The delegation also met with Afghanistan's Minister of Public Health, Mavlavi Nur Jalol, discussing issues such as enhancing the qualifications of Afghan specialists in assessing the quality of pharmaceutical products, medical devices, and biologically active supplements, expanding the volume of Uzbek product deliveries to Afghanistan, and developing production cooperation through joint projects. The sides emphasized that these agreements would elevate pharmaceutical cooperation to a new stage.

During the meetings in Kabul, the delegation held negotiations with the leadership of the Afghanistan Food and Drug Authority (AFDA), where problems in the export process of pharmaceutical products from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan were discussed, particularly the lengthy drug registration procedures identified as a key obstacle. Several proposals were put forward: organizing a showroom to promote Uzbek pharmaceutical products in Afghanistan, simplifying and shortening registration procedures, ensuring the participation of local producers in Afghan state procurement, and increasing export volumes through joint projects.

Previously, based on a decision by Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, an agreement on preferential trade with the Afghan government was approved. In February, Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojaev stated that the Uzbek side aims to increase mutual trade with Afghanistan from $1.7 billion in 2025 to $5 billion by the end of 2026. Additionally, the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Business Council was established, covering sectors such as construction materials, pharmaceuticals, food, textiles, and electrical engineering, with the sides agreeing on measures to expand trade-economic cooperation and raise mutual trade volume to $5 billion.

Source: www.gazeta.uz