Uzbekistan Urges Regional Integration of Afghanistan at Central Asia Summit
At the seventh consultative meeting of Central Asian leaders, the situation in Afghanistan once again took center stage in regional discussions.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of Afghanistan for regional security and sustainable development, urging serious attention to the country’s circumstances. He stated that Afghanistan should not be marginalized, but rather take an active role in joint infrastructure, energy, and transport projects.
Mirziyoyev stressed that integrating Afghanistan into major regional initiatives is not an option but a necessity for regional stability and progress. He previously wrote in an article that lasting peace in Central Asia is not achievable without resolving the Afghan crisis.
Meanwhile, institutions and political analysts have also highlighted Afghanistan’s growing importance in regional interactions. Political analyst Moein Gul Samkani said Central Asia plays a key role in consolidating peace and stability in Afghanistan, and that every opportunity for cooperation should be seized.
Political commentator Abdur Sadiq Hamidzoy described relations between Afghanistan and Central Asian countries as positive, noting that ties—especially with Uzbekistan—have strengthened in recent years. Another analyst, Janet Faheem Chakari, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that regional security hinges on stability in Afghanistan.
Although the Taliban administration has yet to demonstrate effective progress toward lasting national stability, regional leaders’ push to link Afghanistan with economic and transport cooperation underscores the urgent need for a fundamental shift in the Taliban’s domestic and foreign policies. The international community and Afghanistan’s neighbors must continue to warn that instability in Afghanistan carries shared costs for the entire region.
