Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Meets with Uzbek Ambassador
on Saturday (26 Safar al-Muzaffar 1448 AH) Mawlawi Qudratullah Jamal, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Finance and Administrative Affairs of the Ministry of Information and Culture, met with Oybek Usmanov, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Afghanistan, in Kabul
The meeting focused on Afghanistan-Uzbekistan relations in the fields of history, culture, Islam and tourism, as well as the preservation and promotion of the two countries’ shared cultural heritage, tourism development, and ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Welcoming the Uzbek ambassador, Mawlawi Qudratullah Jamal described Uzbekistan as a friendly, brotherly and good-neighboring country. He said the deep historical, cultural and Islamic ties between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, along with their shared values, provide a strong foundation for expanding cooperation between the two countries.
The Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of developing tourism between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, noting that joint programmes in historical, cultural, Islamic and pilgrimage tourism could further strengthen people-to-people ties and create greater opportunities for economic cooperation.
He said Afghanistan is home to numerous ancient historical and cultural sites and important centers of Islamic civilization, including Balkh, Herat, Ghazni, Bamyan and Kabul, and that Uzbek tourists could visit the historical monuments and cultural attractions in these areas.
Mawlawi Qudratullah Jamal also proposed the establishment of joint Islamic, historical and cultural tourism routes linking Afghanistan’s Balkh, Herat, Ghazni and Kabul with major centers of Islamic civilization in Uzbekistan, including Samarkand, Bukhara and Termez.
The two sides also discussed the preservation and promotion of their shared cultural and historical heritage, expanded cooperation among museums, archives and libraries, the organization of cultural exhibitions, cultural weeks and artistic programmes, capacity-building for tourism guides and personnel, and the exchange of experiences and technical knowledge.
Both sides emphasized the importance of investment in tourism, the development of the hospitality sector, tourism services and infrastructure, facilitating the movement of tourists, coordination on visa and transportation services, and strengthening cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries.
Mawlawi Qudratullah Jamal further stressed the importance of developing joint programmes in Islamic and pilgrimage tourism. He said the joint promotion of the religious, historical and cultural heritage of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan could play an important role in highlighting their shared heritage of Islamic civilization.
For his part, Ambassador Oybek Usmanov spoke about the shared cultural and historical values of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. He highlighted a number of prominent scholarly and cultural figures shared by the two countries, including Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him), Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him), Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, Avicenna, al-Khwarizmi, Baba Rahim Mashrab and Amir Alisher Navoi.
He said these scholars and cultural figures had played an important role in the development of knowledge, culture and civilization in the Islamic world and in strengthening ties among Islamic countries.
The Uzbek ambassador also noted that the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan had visited Afghanistan to further strengthen relations between the two countries, describing the visit as a reflection of the depth of friendship and bilateral ties between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
Usmanov also referred to the construction of a madrasa named after Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) in Mazar-e-Sharif, saying that work on the project is underway and is expected to be completed in the near future.
The Uzbek ambassador added that a tourism and cultural delegation from Uzbekistan is scheduled to visit Afghanistan in the near future and tour a number of the country’s historical and ancient sites.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of continued coordination and joint efforts to further expand cultural, historical and tourism cooperation between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan and strengthen bilateral relations.
8 August 2026
