The First Meeting of Special Representatives of Central Asian Countries on Afghanistan Held in Tashkent

At the initiative of Uzbekistan, the first meeting of special representatives of the Central Asian countries on Afghanistan was held today.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan took part in the session.

The participants, guided by the provisions of the Joint Statement adopted following the Sixth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the “Roadmap” for the development of regional cooperation for 2025–2027 (August 9, 2024, Astana), noted the relevance and timeliness of establishing a Contact Group at the level of special representatives on Afghan issues as an independent regional platform for regular and targeted dialogue on matters of common interest to the countries of the region.

They emphasized the importance of developing an independent approach to Afghan issues, taking into account the geostrategic position of Central Asia and Afghanistan, their historically linked cultural and economic space, as well as the shared interest in ensuring stability, security, and sustainable development in Eurasia.

During the meeting, the parties confirmed their commitment to developing common, balanced, and realistic approaches to the situation in Afghanistan on the basis of consensus. They highlighted the need to restore and develop trade, economic, transport, logistics, and cultural-humanitarian ties between Central Asia and Afghanistan.

The representatives of the Central Asian countries exchanged views on interaction with the current de facto authorities of Afghanistan, taking into account the interests and national priorities of the region’s states, and expressed interest in expanding coordination in the field of regional security, including combating transnational crime, extremism, terrorism, and drug trafficking.

The parties also underlined Afghanistan’s role in regional efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Noting the importance of ensuring the continuity of the Contact Group’s work as a platform for exchanging views, consultations, and coordinating efforts on Afghan issues, they agreed on the advisability of holding regular meetings in this format, including on the sidelines of the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia.

The parties stressed that the further activities of the Contact Group will contribute to strengthening the independent and responsible role of the Central Asian states in shaping the regional agenda on Afghanistan and ensuring sustainable development across the entire macro-region.