India, Central Asia Discuss Afghanistan Ahead of SCO Summit
Ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, India’s ambassador to Kyrgyzstan has announced coordination between New Delhi and Central Asian countries on developments in Afghanistan.
Birender Singh Yadav, India’s ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, said that a joint working group on Afghanistan has been established within the framework of the India-Central Asia dialogue.
Birender Singh Yadav, India’s ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, said: “India and the Central Asian countries, within the framework of the Joint Working Group on Afghanistan, review and exchange views on political, security and humanitarian developments in the country. The working group was established at the first India-Central Asia Summit in January 2022, and its first meeting was held in New Delhi in March 2022.”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit is scheduled to be held on September 1 in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
According to reports, Afghanistan will also be one of the key topics at the summit, and the leaders of SCO member states are expected to address the situation in Afghanistan in their joint statement.
Abdul Jabbar Akbari, a political analyst, said: “Given its geographical location, Afghanistan is of particular importance to regional countries and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. However, I hope the permanent members of the organization will recognize this reality and allow Afghanistan to become a permanent member of the organization as well.”
Afghanistan currently holds observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Despite the Islamic Emirate’s calls for Afghanistan to become a full member of the organization, no decision has yet been made in this regard.
Afghanistan has not been invited to this year’s summit of SCO member states either.
