At the initiative of Uzbekistan, on August 26, 2025, a historic meeting of special representatives of Central Asian states on Afghanistan was held in Tashkent for the first time. Official representatives from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan took part. This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the talks, the contact group was viewed as an independent regional platform for regular and targeted exchange of views on issues of common interest to the Central Asian countries.
It was emphasized that developing an independent and effective approach to the Afghan issue is of great importance. Central Asia and Afghanistan are geopolitically interconnected, with historical, cultural, and economic ties. At the same time, there are common interests in ensuring stability, security, and development throughout Eurasia.
The parties confirmed their intention to work out joint, balanced, and realistic approaches to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan. They also stressed the need to restore and develop trade-economic, transport-logistical, and cultural-humanitarian relations between Central Asia and Afghanistan.
During the meeting, participants exchanged views on cooperation with Afghanistan’s current authorities, taking into account national interests and priorities of the region’s countries. They also discussed expanding cooperation in regional security, including combating transnational crime, extremism, terrorism, and drug trafficking.
The parties noted Afghanistan’s regional role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. They highlighted the importance of ensuring that the contact group functions as a sustainable platform for exchanging views, consultations, and coordinating actions on the Afghan issue.
At the end of the talks, the participants agreed on the expediency of holding regular meetings of the contact group, including within the framework of the Consultative Meetings of the Central Asian Heads of State.
Thus, it is expected that this format will further strengthen Central Asian countries’ independent and responsible position on the Afghan issue and contribute to the sustainable development of the entire region.
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