Uzbekistan has delivered humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in advance of the Navruz holiday and the upcoming Eid al-Fitr. According to the Surkhandarya regional administration, approximately 200 tons of food products were sent to Afghanistan’s Balkh region.
The aid was formally handed over in the city of Hairaton, at the Afghan facility of the Astras company. The ceremony was attended by Ismatilla Irgashev, Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan, Ulugbek Qosimov, Governor of Surkhandarya region, and Afghan and Uzbek officials. Muhammad Yusuf Vafo, Governor of Balkh, also took part.
The shipment included flour, wheat, pasta, vegetable oil, sugar, instant noodles, red beans, and mung beans. Afghan officials expressed appreciation to the president and people of Uzbekistan for their continued support and extended their warm wishes for the upcoming Eid celebrations.
During the visit, delegations from both countries met in Mazar-i-Sharif to discuss future cooperation. Talks also covered Uzbekistan’s role in supporting the construction of the Imam Bukhari mausoleum in Afghanistan.
This aid comes amid ongoing economic challenges in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. As traditional donors such as the United States and the European Union reduce their presence, Afghanistan increasingly depends on regional support from neighbors like Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan has previously extended medical assistance as well. At the end of last year, it was announced that Uzbek doctors would provide free medical examinations to residents of Balkh.
