Afghanistan has hosted the "Afghanistan — Central Asia" consultative dialogue on its territory for the first time since 2021. The event, organized by the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, took place in Kabul with the participation of representatives from five Central Asian republics: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, Gazeta.uz reports.
The dialogue, initiated by the Afghan Foreign Ministry, was aimed at "creating a multilateral political mechanism to strengthen diplomatic coordination, develop economic cooperation, and promote regional integration." Opening the meeting, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki emphasized that the format's goal is to expand political dialogue, stimulate economic integration, and strengthen diplomatic ties between the countries of the region.
"Our relations are built not on contradictions, but on the principles of opportunities and cooperation," Muttaki said. "The common goal is to address regional challenges in a coordinated manner to achieve prosperity, stability, and development."
The expansion of trade and economic cooperation was a key topic of discussion. According to Muttaki, Afghanistan's trade turnover with Central Asian countries amounted to approximately $2.7 billion in 2025. The authorities have set an ambitious target to increase this figure to $10 billion within 3–4 years.
Among the priority projects discussed at the meeting were the TAPI gas pipeline, where progress has been noted on the Herat–Turkmenistan border section; the CASA-1000 energy project for electricity transmission between countries in the region; and the "Lapis Lazuli Corridor" and "Six-Country Corridor" transport initiatives.
Particular attention was paid to security issues. Afghanistan shares more than 2,300 km of common borders with Central Asian states. The parties discussed joint measures to counter cross-border threats: drug trafficking, illegal migration, and extremism.
Addressing relations with Pakistan, Muttaki stated the Islamic Emirate's readiness to resolve bilateral issues through diplomacy, while emphasizing: "We seek a peaceful solution based on mutual respect, but we reserve the right to protect our territorial integrity."
Following the dialogue, the Afghan side put forward a number of proposals: to institutionalize the consultation format on a permanent basis; to organize expert conferences to develop road maps; to create a joint regional security system; to coordinate efforts to combat climate change; and to expand cooperation through platforms such as the SCO and the "Green Central Asia" initiative.
Muttaki called the dialogue "a historic step toward creating a stable and interconnected region" and expressed gratitude to participants for their pragmatic approach. Earlier, experts noted that escalating tensions along the Afghan-Pakistani border creates additional risks for all of Central Asia, which increases the significance of such multilateral formats.
The next meeting within the dialogue framework may take place in one of the Central Asian capitals — the date and location will be agreed upon separately.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
6 апреля 2026 года