A senior adviser to Uzbekistan’s president says the country joined the peace initiative launched by Donald Trump primarily over security concerns, including fears about the spread of extremism from Afghanistan.
Abdulaziz Kamilov, the Uzbek president’s foreign policy adviser, told state broadcaster Uzbekistan 24 that developments in the Middle East are directly linked to Afghanistan’s security situation and could have consequences for Central Asia.
He said that following the outbreak of conflict and war in the Middle East, extremist groups and movements relocated to Afghanistan, adding that some of these groups have links to Central Asia.
Explaining Uzbekistan’s decision to join the Trump-led initiative, Kamilov said the move was driven mainly by security considerations and aligns with the country’s national interests.
According to Kamilov, the goals and mission of the initiative are consistent with the core principles of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy. He said Tashkent has important interests in the region tied to national, regional and global security.
The Uzbek official said his country closely monitors developments in the Middle East, particularly threats linked to extremism. He added that some Uzbek citizens had joined extremist groups in the region and later attempted to cause problems after returning home. However, he said authorities facilitated their return and created conditions for their social reintegration and a fresh start.
Kamilov said this humanitarian approach has been praised by the United Nations and could serve as a model for other countries.
He again linked developments in the Middle East to Afghanistan’s security, saying that before the conflict there were no extremist or terrorist organisations in Afghanistan, but such groups emerged after the war as they moved in from the Middle East.
Kamilov stressed that coordinated international cooperation is essential to counter these threats.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed an agreement with Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos to establish the peace initiative. The agreement was concluded in the presence of representatives from Middle Eastern countries, South America, two European countries and the South Caucasus.
Trump initially designed the initiative to help end the war in Gaza and later expanded its scope, a move some world leaders have criticised as undermining the United Nations.
Kyrgyzstan has also joined the initiative.
