Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reiterated his government’s strategic and pragmatic approach towards Afghanistan, reaffirming Uzbekistan’s policy of engagement with the Taliban as both necessary and forward-looking.
In an interview with Euronews, President Mirziyoyev responded to questions about Uzbekistan’s active diplomatic and economic engagement with the Taliban, distinguishing his country’s approach from that of many others which have remained hesitant or distant.
“Uzbekistan’s approach to Afghanistan has always been pragmatic and strategically oriented toward the long term,” he said. “We have never isolated or turned away from our neighbour.”
He noted that many who initially opposed Tashkent’s stance on engaging with the Taliban have since come to recognise its validity.
Mirziyoyev stressed that the development and stability of Afghanistan are impossible without constructive collaboration with its neighbours. He also stated that he had long doubted the sustainability of the previous Afghan government, citing its lack of control over the entire country, failure to engage with opposition forces, absence of an inclusive political framework, and widespread corruption.
The Uzbek president acknowledged the Taliban’s efforts in bringing a degree of stability to Afghanistan and in directing national resources toward infrastructure development, including the construction of airports, railway networks, and improvements in water and energy infrastructure. He also pointed to a reduction in drug cultivation and production as another area of progress.
“Afghanistan should be viewed through the lens of emerging strategic opportunities,” Mirziyoyev said. “It is critically important to integrate Afghanistan into global economic processes, including through the implementation of infrastructure projects on its territory.”
He reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s willingness to work with the European Union and other international partners to promote a constructive agenda aimed at supporting Afghanistan’s recovery.
“I am convinced that stabilising the situation in Afghanistan and supporting its reconstruction are in the common interests of Central Asian countries and the European Union,” he added.
