KABUL, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan has signed contracts worth 243 million U.S. dollars with Uzbekistan to implement four key electricity projects aimed at boosting the country's power supply, the office of the Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs said in a statement late Sunday.

The signing of the contracts was overseen by Afghanistan's Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund and Uzbekistan's Minister of Energy Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, as well as government officials in the capital, Kabul, the statement added.

The projects are expected to be completed within 18 months. ■