Tashkent to host regional meeting to expand transit cooperation via Afghanistan

Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, will host the second round of the “Termez Dialogue” from June 4 to 6, a meeting focused on strengthening economic, transit and political cooperation between Central and South Asia.

Uzbek media reported that the main focus of the international event will be the development of transport and transit corridors via Afghanistan, in particular the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan connectivity project.

The meeting will be held under the slogan “Peace, Connection and Sustainability; Establishing Shared Prosperity” and will be attended by more than 150 government officials, researchers, experts and representatives of international organizations from different countries.

The Termez Dialogue is part of a regional initiative by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to increase cooperation between Central and South Asian countries; An initiative that has already received support from the UN General Assembly.

Organizers have announced that in addition to the high-level plenary session, several expert panels will be held on climate change, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, regional security, and the development of transit infrastructure.

The event is being organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan and the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies in cooperation with the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia. Representatives from the United Nations, Georgetown University, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and several other international organizations will also participate in the meeting.

The event program will also include visits to the border city of Termez and important transit and logistics centers, including Airtem and Termez Cargo, which are considered key links connecting Central Asia to Afghanistan.

The meeting is expected to conclude with the issuance of a joint statement in Samarkand, which will outline the framework for future cooperation between the countries of the region.
The first round of Termez talks also paid special attention to Afghanistan’s rail and transit projects. The development of the Karaki-Andkhoy railway line, its extension to Herat, and the establishment of a loading center at the dry port of Turghandi were among the plans that were put forward as part of the plans to strengthen Afghanistan’s role in regional connectivity.

This edition focuses on Afghanistan’s geopolitical and economic importance in connecting Central and South Asia, and its tone is more like professional media reports.

Reporter Shahbanu Noori