Taliban says Ukrainian companies interested in building Afghan railways

Kabul [Afghanistan], February 8 : The Taliban on Monday said that Ukrainian companies have shown an interest in investing in railways in Afghanistan.
Officials from the Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) held talks with a technical team representing a number of Ukrainian companies about establishing railways in Afghanistan.
"The Ukrainian delegation had a meeting with the ministry's leadership team. They discussed the transit of goods, enhancing the capacities of railways' engineers, the security of the Mazar-Hairatan railway, and building railways," Hamidullah Misbah, the spokesman of the ministry said, reported Tolo News.
Meanwhile, a number of economic analysts said connecting Afghanistan to other countries through railways will result in an increase in transit and trade.
"We should have railways in most of our provinces. Most of our borders (ports) should be connected through railways with the neighbouring countries and from there with the world," said Khairuddin Mayel, deputy head of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI).
According to the ACCI, by the extension of railways in the country, Afghanistan's exports will increase and goods' exports will become easy and quick, reported Tolo News.
"The extension of the railway is in the interest of the people of Afghanistan. We want our railway to extend. After sea shipping, railway is the cheapest and quickest means of transportation," said Mohammad Yunus Momand, ACCI acting director.
Currently, Afghanistan is connected to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan through the Hairatan-Aqina railway in the north, and to Iran through the Khawaf-Herat railway in the west.