Afghan and Russian officials have discussed a proposal to establish a special economic zone at the Hairatan border port. Ariana News reported that Ahmad Jan Bilal, head of Afghanistan’s state-owned enterprises administration, met Russian Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov in Kabul.
The Russian ambassador proposed facilities for storing, processing and packaging agricultural products, along with other economic activities. Additional ideas involving joint-stock companies were also discussed.
Hairatan is a major northern trade and rail gateway linking Afghanistan with Uzbekistan. The economic-zone plan remains a proposal: no final land allocation, financing package, management structure or construction timetable has been announced. Further technical and legal work would be required before implementation.