Bakhtiyar Mustafayev, deputy director of Uzbekistan’s Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies, has emphasized the revival of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Contact Group on Afghanistan.
Speaking at the 20th meeting of the SCO Think Tanks Forum in New Delhi, he stated that cooperation with Afghanistan is essential for ensuring regional security.
The Deputy Director said at the forum: “Cooperation with Afghanistan remains a vital factor in guaranteeing security in the region and among the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This dialogue is part of Uzbekistan’s continued efforts to integrate Afghanistan into regional cooperation processes and to strengthen the necessary socio-economic conditions for long-term peace and sustainable stability in the country.”
At the same time, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Economy also stressed the importance of Afghanistan’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Abdul Latif Nazari, the deputy minister of economy, told TOLOnews that this matter could bring numerous economic and political benefits for Afghanistan.
The deputy minister said: “The SCO is a strong and credible regional and trans-regional organization. Afghanistan’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization can lead to many achievements and advantages in economic, trade, and even political domains.”
Salim Paygir, a political analyst, highlighted the importance of stability in Afghanistan and its impact on Central Asia: “The more stable Afghanistan is, the more it benefits the region, especially our northern neighbors. If we haven’t forgotten the 1991 era, the instability, insecurity, and wars in Afghanistan also affected the countries of Central Asia.”
Earlier, Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, stated that if the caretaker government is recognized, Moscow would support Afghanistan’s accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.