Taliban Seeks to Expand Cooperation with Central Asia, Says Foreign Minister
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting Foreign Minister, announced at the first ‘Afghanistan-Central Asia Consultative Dialogues’ held in Kabul that the current global order faces serious challenges, which have also impacted Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries.
He stated that the approach of Central Asian countries towards Afghanistan, based on political engagement and economic cooperation, can serve as an example of trust-building and joint collaboration. According to Muttaqi, both sides should take practical steps to expand regional cooperation by utilizing existing capacities.
The Taliban’s Foreign Minister emphasized that Afghanistan and the region are affected by global developments and that it is necessary to manage common challenges in a coordinated manner. He added that the Taliban administration seeks to pursue a path of cooperation rather than confrontation and aims to develop practical participation in trade, transit, economic growth, and regional connectivity.
Representatives from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan attended the meeting, discussing political coordination, economic cooperation, regional connectivity, and managing common challenges.
However, while the Taliban administration speaks of expanding regional cooperation, it remains unrecognized by a large part of the international community. Moreover, extensive domestic restrictions, especially in the area of civil rights, continue to be one of the main obstacles to normalizing the administration’s foreign relations.
Participants expressed hope that such meetings could pave the way for drafting a clear roadmap for long-term political, economic, and security cooperation between the Taliban administration and Central Asian countries.
