Afghanistan-Russia Economic Push: Kabul’s FM Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi met Russia’s deputy PM Alexei Overchuk in Moscow to turn political ties into practical deals on trade, transit, energy, mining, and banking/payment systems, with both sides pointing to rising bilateral commerce and “favourable conditions” for joint projects. Regional Trade & Industry Expo: Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek will host Kyrgyzstan Expo 2026 and Expo Eurasia Kyrgyzstan 2026 (Oct 15–17), bringing together firms from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia, China, Turkey and Russia across industry, construction, energy, mining, machine engineering, transport/logistics, agriculture and food, water treatment, and IT—with B2B meetings and investment talks. Afghan Water Stress in Focus: A report says Kabul is on track to face a severe urban water crunch by 2030, with residents already queuing for hours to fill buckets—an issue that directly affects daily services and local economic activity. Moscow Format on Afghanistan: Russia’s Lavrov said Moscow is monitoring regional dynamics and regretted failure to finalize a Moscow Format document amid Kabul–Islamabad tensions, while also stressing counterterrorism and humanitarian needs. World Bank Macro Signals: The World Bank expects Europe & Central Asia growth to slow to 2.2% in 2026 and flags broader MENAAP contraction pressures—a reminder that Afghanistan’s trade and investment environment remains tied to regional stability.