Kazakh media outlets have reported that a major mining company in Kazakhstan is planning to begin field operations in Afghanistan in the near future for the exploration and development of chromium deposits, while the potential acquisition of a chromium mine in the country is also under consideration.
Kazakhstan’s Kazba News Agency reported on Tuesday, June 23, that Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) is evaluating various options for entering Afghanistan’s mining sector. According to the report, the company may either directly acquire a chromium mine or participate in the project through a joint venture with Afghan partners.
The report further stated that mining cooperation between the two countries was discussed during a meeting between Serik Zhumangarin, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban administration’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
According to the information released, the two sides also discussed the import of industrial-grade aquamarine stone from Afghanistan to Kazakhstan for processing and use in various industries. The initiative has been described as part of broader efforts to expand economic and mining cooperation between Kabul and Astana.
During the visit, the parties also agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding for the transfer of 30,000 metric tons of zinc ore from Afghanistan to Kazakhstan. The shipment is estimated to be worth approximately $18.8 million, and the minerals will be processed in Kazakh industrial facilities after their transfer.
The Taliban administration’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce had previously announced that 25 cooperation agreements were signed between companies and private-sector representatives from both countries during the Afghan-Kazakh Business Forum held in Kabul. The agreements are intended to strengthen trade relations, increase the volume of bilateral commerce, and facilitate import and export activities between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan.
Serik Zhumangarin, who traveled to Kabul at the head of a high-level government delegation, held separate meetings on Saturday, June 20, with several Taliban officials, including Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, and Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi.
Despite the expansion of economic and political cooperation between the two sides, Kazakhstan has not formally recognized the Taliban administration. Like most countries around the world, Kazakhstan has refrained from officially recognizing the Taliban government, although it has expanded its economic, commercial, and diplomatic engagement with Kabul in recent years.
Meanwhile, Yerkin Tukumov, the Special Representative of the President of Kazakhstan for Afghanistan, emphasized that the removal of the Taliban from Kazakhstan’s list of terrorist organizations does not constitute recognition of the Taliban administration. He stated that Astana’s policy continues to be based on engagement with Afghanistan without formally recognizing the Taliban government.
Referring to Afghanistan’s complex economic and social conditions, the Kazakh official said that the experience of recent years has demonstrated that any economic, humanitarian, or institutional vacuum in the country could create conditions conducive to destabilizing and destructive developments. According to him, economic and development cooperation can play an important role in mitigating these challenges.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
