Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev today renewed his call for the global community to engage with Afghanistan, warning that isolating the war-torn country could destabilize the entire Central and South Asian region. Speaking at the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Tashkent, Mirziyoyev urged international lawmakers to support constructive dialogue with Kabul’s current authorities and to acknowledge Afghanistan as an integral part of the regional architecture.
“We believe it is crucial to prevent Afghanistan’s isolation on the global stage,” he said, reinforcing a foreign policy that has remained consistent since the Taliban seized power in 2021.
Tashkent has taken a proactive approach to Afghanistan’s evolving political landscape. From urging the unfreezing of Kabul’s overseas assets to hosting regional conferences and proposing permanent United Nations structures dedicated to Afghanistan, Uzbekistan has repeatedly positioned itself as a bridge-builder.
A cornerstone of this strategy is economic connectivity. The Trans-Afghan Railway project — envisioned to link Uzbekistan with Pakistan’s seaports via Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul — remains a top priority. While the initiative faced delays after the Taliban takeover, it gained renewed momentum when Afghanistan’s new government formally joined the project in late 2021. Technical studies have since moved forward, and negotiations resumed in mid-2023.
Uzbekistan is also expanding direct economic ties. In 2023, bilateral trade reached $866 million, with plans to increase it to $3 billion. Over 550 Afghan-funded enterprises now operate in Uzbekistan. The opening of the Airitom Free Economic Zone near the Afghan border — Central Asia’s first — stands as a physical embodiment of Tashkent’s “business over politics” philosophy. The zone allows Afghan citizens visa-free access for up to 15 days and is expected to generate up to 5,000 jobs, including hundreds for Afghans.
Despite mounting concerns over Afghanistan’s Qosh Tepa Canal project — which threatens to reduce Uzbekistan’s access to vital water from the Amu Darya — Tashkent has opted for dialogue over confrontation. Officials believe maintaining steady relations with the Taliban could help curb extremist threats and preserve internal stability, especially in a country where secular governance remains the norm despite a growing religious revival.
For Uzbekistan, Afghanistan’s future is not a peripheral concern. It is a strategic imperative. And as the region braces for long-term geopolitical shifts, Tashkent appears determined to lead with engagement — not exclusion.
