Renewing Ties: A Vision for Comprehensive Cooperation Between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan

(Speech at the Akorda Presidential Palace in Astana, Kazakhstan)

Keypoints: 

• Regional Integration: Reconnecting Afghanistan with Central Asia.
• Economic Partnership: Expanding trade, transit, and investment.
• Food Security: Securing practical agreements for wheat imports.
• Human Capital: Strengthening ties through student scholarships.
• Security Cooperation: Fighting terrorism and narcotics collectively.
• Religious Integrity: Defending the true image of Islam.

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Your Excellency, the President of the State of Kazakhstan, my dear brother Mr. Nazarbayev, honorable members of the Cabinet, and all brothers and sisters!

As cold as the weather is outside, our hearts are warm; because today, Afghanistan renews its commitment to comprehensive bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

We are today bridging the gap that the Soviet Union had created between our nations, and we are—and will continue to be—witnesses to closer and deeper relations between peoples who have always shared a culture of cooperation. In this regard, the collective agreement is the foundation for the renewal of our relations, and this dimension of our partnership will, God willing, improve day by day.

I would first like to congratulate Your Excellency on the achievements Kazakhstan has made since its independence. The history you have created is, in reality, the building of a great nation and state. It serves as a beacon of hope for Afghanistan; Kazakhstan’s successful experience suggests that we, too, with faith in our future, can take great, fundamental, and comprehensive steps. Your visions—be it 2030, 2050, or regional cooperation—are all the hallmarks of a prominent regional statesman, and for this, I congratulate you on behalf of the people of Afghanistan.

Our cooperation will be comprehensive in the economic dimension. Not only will our bilateral trade be strengthened, but God willing, we will also witness multilateral cooperation in terms of creating a credible system of transit and trade, as well as investment from Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries in Afghanistan. The issue of wheat is one of our practical matters, and we will take practical steps in this area. All our economic dimensions will be followed meticulously with practical steps by our bilateral commission.

I express my gratitude for your actions and the directives you gave to the members of your government. I would like to thank Kazakhstan for its assistance, especially regarding our natural disasters; the bilateral agreement signed today on natural disasters will be a turning point in our cooperation.

The human capital that Kazakhstan has committed and the scholarships provided to Afghans are not just a point of change for our human capital, but represent deep relations established between our peoples. It was a matter of immense pride when you told me that when a locomotive went off track, an Afghan student was able to stop it; we will honor this individual.

In the security sector, we will carry out comprehensive cooperation against both terrorism and narcotics. The most fundamental part of our relations is creating a suitable political environment for comprehensive cooperation among regional states. Terrorism knows no good or bad, no border, no religion, no sect, and no culture. Therefore, we will all struggle against this common threat with focus, cooperation, and complete will, so that specifically the name of our great culture and religion is never cast into doubt. Once again, I thank Your Excellency for your warm hospitality.