Shoigu says it is important to conduct joint projects between Russia and Afghanistan

On Monday, November 25, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu arrived in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on a visit to meet with the country's top leadership. Over four rounds of talks, he discussed economic, security and transportation issues with deputy prime ministers and ministers.

"Aimed at developing bilateral cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan across the entire spectrum of areas. I reaffirm readiness to build a constructive political dialog between our countries, including in order to give impetus to the process of intra-Afghan settlement," Shoigu said during his visit.

The Secretary of the Security Council also emphasized that the participation of Russian companies in Afghanistan's projects will include the extraction of natural resources and the development of the country's transportation potential.

Moreover, he noted that Russia is confident that the establishment of Afghanistan as a stable and independent state is in the interests of all countries in the region.

Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev as his special representative for the development of the North-South transport corridor.

On November 19 at the forum "Transport of Russia" it was reported that the multimodal route North - South, leading to Iran, will be expanded by the eastern arm, which will pass through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to Afghanistan, and further - to the ports of Pakistan and India. Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit noted that Asian countries are becoming an important link in the routes from Russia to South Asia and China.

Before that, on September 7, Dmitry Birichevsky, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department of Economic Cooperation, told Izvestia that activity has increased in the North-South corridor. He added that other countries could join the project if they find it profitable.