The Government of Kazakhstan and Ghazanfar Bank of Afghanistan have agreed to expand banking cooperation and facilitate financial transactions between the two countries. The agreement aims to establish direct payment channels, strengthen interbank cooperation, and create favorable conditions for the growth of bilateral trade between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan.
According to Kazakhstan Today, Serik Zhumangarin, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, met with Mohammad Ismail Ghazanfar, Chairman of Ghazanfar Bank, on Wednesday, July 8, to discuss expanding banking cooperation and increasing trade between the two countries.
During the meeting, Zhumangarin emphasized that expanding trade between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan requires a reliable banking infrastructure to ensure that financial transactions between companies in both countries are processed regularly, efficiently, and without interruption.
The report noted that two Kazakh banks currently maintain correspondent banking relationships with Afghan banks, through which a portion of the financial transactions between the two countries is conducted.
According to official figures, cross-border payments between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan reached nearly US$300 million in 2025, representing a 26 percent increase compared with the previous year. The value of payments for goods and services increased fivefold during the same period.
The data also show that bilateral trade reached US$342.4 million in the first four months of 2026, a 2.3-fold increase compared with the corresponding period last year. Of this total, US$338.5 million consisted of Kazakhstan’s exports to Afghanistan.
According to the report, increased exports of wheat, flour, sunflower oil, and other commodities from Kazakhstan to Afghanistan have been among the key drivers of the recent growth in bilateral trade.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
