Afghanistan: A Regional Connectivity Hub in Uzbekistan’s Vision

Afghanistan has emerged as a key link between Central Asia and South Asia in Uzbekistan’s renewed vision for regional cooperation.

Speaking at the informal summit of the leaders of Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said there is a historic opportunity to create a “common development space” that would connect Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Afghanistan. He described Afghanistan as a “close neighbor” of Central Asia.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Economy says the country’s ties with Central Asian states have remained strong, particularly in the areas of trade, economic cooperation, and transit. The ministry added that the Islamic Emirate is working to further expand these partnerships.

“We have stable relations with the countries of Central Asia. We maintain multilateral and reciprocal cooperation in the economic, trade, and transit sectors. Today, all Central Asian countries have extensive economic exchanges with Afghanistan, and our goal is to further expand these relations,” said Abdul Latif Nazari, the ministry’s deputy minister for technical affairs.

Economic experts say stronger regional cooperation could help Afghanistan expand trade, attract investment, and make better use of its transit routes. However, they stress that realizing these opportunities will require closer coordination with neighboring countries and the creation of a more favorable environment for economic activities.

“Afghanistan occupies a strategic position between Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East. Countries in the region are interested in using this route for the transit of their goods and view it as a suitable platform for expanding economic and transit cooperation,” said economic analyst Janat Fahim Chakari.

Given its strategic geographic location, Afghanistan has significant potential to play a greater role in regional connectivity, although this potential has yet to be fully utilized. At the same time, Central Asian countries continue to pursue regional projects in energy transmission, transit, and railway development.