Uzbekistan has committed $6 million to finance the construction of a new religious school in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. The school, set to cover sixty acres and accommodate one thousand students, is a significant initiative aimed at enhancing educational opportunities in the region.
Furqat Nazarov, Uzbekistan’s Consul General in Mazar-i-Sharif, revealed that the project was undertaken at the request of the governor of Afghanistan’s Balkh province. The construction is expected to be completed within a year.
Deputy Governor Nurul Hadi Abu Idris praised the project as a symbol of growing unity among Muslims, stating, “This is a sign of the coordination of the Islamic Ummah. Unity among Muslims is increasing daily”. The new school is anticipated to be the largest in Afghanistan, which officials believe will significantly bolster the education sector.
Abdul Jalil Shaheedkhil, head of Balkh province’s education department, emphasized that the school’s establishment would further strengthen relations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Similarly, Zabihullah Noorani, head of information and culture in Balkh, expressed optimism about the positive impact on the region’s education system.
In addition to the school project, Uzbekistan plans to resume issuing education and business visas to Afghan citizens and is focused on enhancing bilateral trade, aiming to raise mutual trade volumes to $1 billion this year and eventually to $3 billion. The recent repair of the Naibabad railway station in Afghanistan underscores the ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure and trade relations between the two countries.
