DUSHANBE, January 31, Asia-Plus  -- Trade and economic cooperation was a major topic of a meeting of Sharif Said, the head of Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), with Mr. Najibullah Rahim, Trade and Economic Officer of the Afghan Embassy in Dushanbe, that was held on January 30, the CCI press service said.

During the meeting, the two discussed state and prospects of further expansion of economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.  They were unanimous in an opinion that holding of mutual exhibitions could promote expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries.  

In the course of the talks the sides also touched upon issues related to cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan in the field of energy. 

Sharif Said, in particular noted that once hydroelectric power plants on the Vakhsh River are completed, Tajikistan will supply electrical power to Afghanistan as well Iran and Pakistan. 

We will recall that an agreement on implementing a US$500 million electricity connection between Central Asia and South Asia was signed in Kabul, Afghanistan last November.  In its first stage, the project would transfer around 1300 megawatts of electricity from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan and Afghanistan.  Central Asia has abundant hydropower resources and seasonal energy surpluses that can provide lower cost power to Pakistan and Afghanistan.