The telephone conversation between Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Hanif Atmar has become the first contact of the heads of Ukrainian and Afghan foreign ministries since 2008.
“Ukraine and Afghanistan are united by long-term ties of friendship and mutual respect. Ukrainians support Afghans in their aspirations to restore peace in the country and build an inclusive society. It’s time to open a new page in bilateral relations for the benefit of our peoples,” the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry quoted Kuleba as saying.
It is noted that the Afghan Foreign Minister supported Kuleba’s proposal to hold consultations of the Foreign Ministries this year to discuss practical steps for the development of cooperation between Ukraine and Afghanistan in the political, trade, educational and security spheres.
The ministers noted the existence of significant opportunities for the participation of Ukrainian companies in the implementation of infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, in particular in the regions affected by the armed conflict.
“Last year, the trade between Ukraine and Afghanistan amounted to $7.17 million. This figure does not correspond to the potential of the two countries. By joint efforts, we must make sure that the volume of trade has increased significantly over several years,” Kuleba said.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine named other priority areas of cooperation: military-technical cooperation, training of Afghan students in Ukraine, and supply of Ukrainian food products to ensure food security in Afghanistan.
The ministers also discussed the Ukrainian plane of flight PS752 shot down by Iran and agreed that the ultimate goal of the efforts should be to ensure justice for the victims of the tragedy and their relatives.
In addition, Kuleba and Atmar exchanged invitations to pay visits at a convenient time for them.
