Turkey and Afghanistan launched yesterday an air corridor to boost bilateral trade.

Afghanistan's Minister of Industry and Commerce Humayoon Rasaw, Minister of Agriculture Nasir Ahmad Durrani, Turkish Ambassador to Kabul Oğuzhan Ertuğrul and Turkish Airlines manager in Kabul, Ahmet Uludağ inaugurated the corridor in an opening ceremony at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

Speaking at the event, Rasaw said Afghanistan wants to increase trade with Turkey and was ready to provide a convenient business environment to Turkish businessmen.

He said that the bilateral trade volume will increase with the opening of air corridor between Istanbul and Kabul. "A total of 15 tons of goods, including dried fruit and carpets, will be onboard the first flight with Turkish Airlines."

Turkish Ambassador in Kabul Oğuzhan Ertuğrul stressed that close relations between Turkey and Afghanistan go way back. "The ties gained strength under Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and Afghanistan's Amanullah Khan," he said.

Afghanistan has already launched aerial trade corridor with India and Kazakhstan.