Kabul (TDI): In a major step toward enhancing regional engagement, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu arrived in Kabul last week, signaling a continuing shift towards pragmatic engagement in Astana’s policy towards Afghanistan.
The visit resulted in major diplomatic and economic developments, including the signing of a $500 million deal on the Herat-Torghundi railway.
During the visit, Nurtleu held talks with Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, along with other senior officials. Both sides issued a joint statement expressing their intent to broaden cooperation in areas such as transit, trade, education, and regional security.
Nurtleu reiterated Kazakhstan’s support for Afghanistan’s stability and food security, noting that his country is focused on expanding its regional partnerships based on mutual interests.
Read More: Kazakhstan Starts Mineral Exploration in Afghanistan’s Nuristan Province
A key outcome of the visit was the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the Herat–Torghundi railway project. Stretching 115 kilometers, the line will link Afghanistan’s western Herat province with neighboring Turkmenistan.
It also holds the potential to boost trade links southward, connecting landlocked Afghanistan to Iran and eventually the Arabian Sea.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar welcomed the agreement, calling it a foundational step in transforming Herat into a regional logistics hub.
According to Baradar’s office, discussions also included loosening visa rules for Afghan traders, resuming direct flights between Kabul and Astana, and working toward increasing trade volumes.
The two sides also explored deeper economic cooperation in sectors like energy, transport, agriculture, and mining. Plans are underway to formalize agreements that would lower transit costs, improve logistics, and harmonize agricultural trade standards, all aimed at pushing bilateral trade closer to the $3 billion mark.
Read More: Kazakhstan, Afghanistan Ink $3b Trade Deal Eyeing Gawadar
In parallel with diplomatic engagements, Kazakhstan’s mining industry is eyeing Afghanistan’s vast untapped resources. Galym Nurzhanov, CEO of Kazakhmys Barlau, revealed that exploration teams have already begun survey work in Nuristan Province.
“Geologically, it’s like stepping into the past,” he said. “We’re seeing lead-zinc ore with content as high as 39%, and concentrates up to 41%. It’s almost ready to process.”
Despite tensions over issues like Afghanistan’s controversial Qosh Tepa Canal project, Kazakhstan continues to emphasize a policy grounded in “practical cooperation over ideology.”
Officials in Astana have underlined the importance of maintaining dialogue with Kabul to safeguard regional stability, trade routes, and long-term energy partnerships.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
