$140 Million in Contracts: Kazakhmys, Kazatomprom, and ERG Eye Opportunities in Afghanistan

Kazakhstan and Afghanistan have signed commercial agreements worth $140 million, with some of Kazakhstan’s largest resource companies exploring investment opportunities in Afghanistan’s mineral sector, Orda.kz reports.

The deals were announced following the visit of Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin to Kabul, where a Kazakh-Afghan business forum brought together over 50 Kazakhstani companies. According to the ministry, the agreements span a wide range of sectors, including food products, industrial chemicals, machinery, and IT services.

Zhumangarin noted that several major firms are showing serious interest in launching geological exploration and potential mining operations in Afghanistan.

These companies are looking into investment opportunities in promising mineral deposits. Representatives from ERG Exploration, Kazakhmys Barlau, and Kazatomprom joined our delegation to engage in detailed discussions,the Minister said. 

Another group of specialists from Kazakhstan is set to visit Kabul at the end of May to assess Afghanistan’s geological potential. The Afghan side has committed to sharing relevant data on available mineral resources.

This follows earlier reports that geologists had already begun collecting samples from prospective Afghan mining sites.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny