In a bid to deepen regional trade networks and accelerate joint infrastructure ventures, the Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), Sayed Karim Hashemi, met with the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Khodja Ovezov, at the ACCI headquarters in Kabul.
The meeting focused on facilitating private-sector collaboration, developing key transit corridors, and exploring investment avenues across Central and South Asia.
Ambassador Ovezov commended the ongoing economic activities in Afghanistan and emphasized the importance of developing economic relations between the two countries. He invited the Chairman of ACCI to participate in the upcoming Turkmenistan Investment Forum, set to take place in Ashgabat this October.
Welcoming the Ambassador, Hashemi emphasized the deep historical, cultural, and commercial bonds linking the two nations.
He described the recent high-level talks between Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, and the National leader of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov as a sign of the willingness and interest of both sides to strengthen and expand economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
Hashemi stressed that Afghanistan’s private sector welcomes any practical step toward expanding economic relations between the two countries and that ACCI is ready, within the framework of its authorities and responsibilities, to facilitate and strengthen interaction, communication, and cooperation between traders and investors of the two countries.
A central point of discussion was the operational stability of key border crossings. Hashemi confirmed that major trade and transit routes—specifically the Torghundi Port in Herat Province and the Aqina Port in Faryab Province—are functioning normally. Uninterrupted commercial traffic through these hubs remains vital for strengthening Afghanistan’s economic integration with Central Asia.
Reciprocating the Turkmen invitation, Hashemi encouraged Turkmenistan’s officials, traders, and investors to attend the 5th Imam Abu Hanifa (RA) Exhibition, scheduled to launch on 7 October. The expo will showcase domestic production capacities and feature dedicated B2B networking sessions aimed at fostering direct business-to-business partnerships.
The sides also discussed major regional infrastructure initiatives, most notably the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline. They highlighted Afghanistan’s strategic geographic position as a crucial land bridge between Central and South Asia. ///nCa, 11 September 2026 (photo credit – ACCI)