Britain's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Richard Lindsay, said the United Kingdom wants to gradually expand its engagement with Afghanistan beyond humanitarian assistance toward economic cooperation.
Pajhwok reported on September 22 that Lindsay made the remarks during an online meeting with Afghanistan's acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, Nooruddin Azizi, citing a statement from the Afghan Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
According to the statement, the two sides discussed economic relations and Afghanistan's engagement with the international community. Lindsay also outlined Britain's humanitarian assistance and said London planned to create more opportunities for trade with developing countries, including through trade facilitation and tariff reductions.
Azizi highlighted Afghanistan's export performance and called for continued engagement with the international community on the basis of mutual respect.
The comments indicate an interest in expanding economic engagement, but they do not by themselves amount to a new trade agreement, formal recognition decision or binding economic package.
Any practical change in UK-Afghanistan economic relations will depend on future policy decisions, commercial arrangements and the regulatory conditions affecting trade and investment.