DP World has signed a landmark agreement with the Government of Afghanistan to develop and operate the country’s two most strategically important land border facilities at Torkham and Hairatan.
The deal represents a significant move to modernise Afghanistan’s main trade gateways and support its ambitions to become a vital transit corridor between Central and South Asia.
Torkham and Hairatan are central to the movement of goods in and out of Afghanistan and remain essential for trade with neighbouring countries. Public data indicates that several billion dollars of goods cross Afghanistan’s borders each year, including more than US$1.6 billion in bilateral trade with Pakistan in 2024.
Despite this scale, both crossings continue to face bottlenecks caused by ageing infrastructure and manual procedures. Improving efficiency at these borders is seen as key to enabling predictable and higher-capacity trade.
DP World to modernise Afghan borders
The partnership has been structured as a public-private partnership. Under the agreement, DP World will conduct a full technical and financial feasibility study before finalising the concession. Early expectations point to substantial infrastructure upgrades, new cargo handling systems and the digitalisation of border processes to improve the speed, safety and overall reliability of cross-border flows.
The agreement was signed by Alhaj Mufti Abdul Mateen Saeed, Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Revenue and Customs, and Nasser Al Neyadi, Executive Vice President at DP World.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman and Group CEO of DP World, said: “Efficient trade corridors are fundamental to economic resilience, and Afghanistan is uniquely positioned to benefit from stronger links with its neighbours. These gateways already support significant trade flows, and modernising them will help unlock far greater potential across the region. We believe that smarter, well-managed border infrastructure can create pathways to stability and opportunity, and we are committed to supporting Afghanistan as it builds a more connected and prosperous future.”
The project will place emphasis on local employment and skills development, with DP World working closely with national partners throughout the planning and operational phases. The Afghan government will continue to oversee customs, immigration, security and regulatory functions while coordinating with DP World to ensure smooth and secure operations.
The initiative is expected to support long-term economic development and improve Afghanistan’s role in regional supply chains by creating more efficient and resilient trade routes.
