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Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Gul Hassan, has made several statements concerning developments between Russia and Afghanistan and with the wide regional world.
Speaking to media on Monday (February 2), he said that Afghanistan would resume participation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and Kabul considers it appropriate to resume active participation in its work. Afghanistan is an observer state to the SCO but has not attended recent meetings. Hassan stated that “Afghanistan is an observer state in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and, in accordance with this status, should participate in its meetings. Thanks to the efforts of Moscow and Beijing, most of the organization’s member states have come to the conclusion that it would be viable to restore Afghanistan’s active participation in the SCO’s work. We also count on Afghanistan’s participation in the organization’s upcoming meetings.”
In terms of energy supplies, Afghanistan’s energy infrastructure relies heavily on importing up to 80% of its electricity from neighboring Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. While domestic generation (approx. 600 MW) is largely hydropower-based, it is insufficient to meet demand, leaving only 30–35% of the population with grid access. The country is currently expanding solar, wind, and the CASA-1000 regional transmission project to increase energy security.
To assist with this, Hassan added that several Russian companies are in talks in Kabul regarding the construction of small hydroelectric power plants, saying that “Russian companies are showing interest in the electricity generation sector. Some of them have already visited Afghanistan and held meetings and talks with relevant agencies and specialists. In this regard, it is expected that practical steps will be taken in this direction in the near future.”
There will also be expanded air connectivity, with Hassan saying that Russia and Afghanistan will increase the number of direct flights between the two countries. He said that “Ariana Afghan Airlines has been operating one direct flight per week between Afghanistan and Russia for the past four years. Work is also underway to launch direct flights between Kabul and Moscow with Kam Air. Efforts are being made to increase mutual travel between citizens of the two countries, which will ultimately lead to an increase in the number of flights.”
Bilateral trade between Afghanistan and Russia surged in 2025, with figures for the first eight months reaching US$366 million, nearly double the US$174 million recorded in 2024. Trade is expected to climb, with ambitions reaching toward US$3 billion, driven by Russian exports of fuel and food and increased Afghan agricultural exports.
