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Tashkent: Central Asian leaders say regional stability hinges on Afghanistan
The two-day meeting comes at a time when Afghanistan’s stability — or lack thereof — continues to shape the wider region’s security landscape, trade connectivity and long-term development prospects.
The 7th Consultative Summit of Central Asian Leaders opened Saturday in Tashkent, where heads of six regional countries gathered to assess the evolving situation in Afghanistan and to chart a coordinated path for deeper political, economic and security cooperation.
The two-day meeting comes at a time when Afghanistan’s stability — or lack thereof — continues to shape the wider region’s security landscape, trade connectivity and long-term development prospects.
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who initiated the idea of these high-level summits at the UN General Assembly in 2017, reiterated that Central Asia “cannot achieve lasting peace, stability or prosperity without a stable Afghanistan.” Tashkent has long positioned itself as a regional mediator on Afghan issues, hosting multiple rounds of diplomatic talks and pushing for expanded trade corridors that link Afghanistan to Central Asian markets.
Leaders at this year’s summit are expected to discuss a broad agenda: strengthening regional economic partnerships, accelerating joint infrastructure and transport projects, enhancing counter-terrorism and border security cooperation, and examining the impact of global geopolitical shifts on Central Asia. The discussions reflect growing concern that instability in Afghanistan — including economic pressures, migration flows and the presence of extremist groups — directly affects the region’s collective security.
Since Uzbekistan assumed the rotating chairmanship of the consultative process, more than 20 intergovernmental meetings have been held, underscoring a renewed commitment among Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to approach shared challenges with unified strategies. Analysts say the summit structure has become an increasingly important platform as Central Asian states seek to balance cooperation with major powers while safeguarding regional autonomy.
The Tashkent summit will continue through Sunday, with leaders expected to issue a joint statement outlining common priorities — many of which are likely to centre on ensuring that Afghanistan is integrated into regional economic plans rather than left isolated, a scenario observers warn would carry security risks for the entire region.
Ariana Afghan Airlines has ranked seventh among 45 airlines in Central Asia in Skytrax’s 2026 rankings.
Company officials say Ariana Afghan ranked eighth on the list in 2025, but moved up one place this year following improvements in service quality and the expansion of its operations.
According to the officials, in 2026 the airline met criteria including service quality, flight safety, professional cabin crew, and experience in the aviation sector, placing it among the top 10 airlines in Central Asia.
Skytrax is an international organization that evaluates and ranks the quality of services in the aviation industry and airlines, assessing and ranking carriers annually based on specific criteria.
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Silk Road highway in Wakhan corridor now reaches the China border
The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.
The construction of the Silk Road Highway in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor has been fully completed after five years of work, officials in Badakhshan province said.
Amanullah Chehra, head of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in Badakhshan, said the 121.13-kilometre road begins in the Barghil area and stretches to Bzai Gonbad near the Chinese border.
According to officials, the road is between 7 and 10 metres wide and includes three major bridges, each measuring approximately 20 to 22 metres in length. Numerous smaller drainage structures have also been built along the route to facilitate the flow of water.
The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, met on Wednesday with Bruno Lemarquis, UNAMA’s Deputy Head for Humanitarian Affairs, to discuss the situation of Afghan returnees and humanitarian assistance.
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said Lemarquis briefed the minister on assessments conducted by UN agencies during visits to several provinces to identify the needs of returnee families.
Lemarquis said joint cooperation between UN agencies and the Islamic Emirate is needed to support and resettle returnees. He added that UN agencies are currently assisting thousands of families and called for the expansion of humanitarian assistance.
He also said the international community should pay greater attention to the needs of Afghans, adding that UNAMA is ready to cooperate in addressing challenges facing returnees.
Abdul Kabir welcomed UNAMA’s support and thanked the United Nations for its assistance to Afghans. He said various government institutions have been tasked with addressing returnees’ needs.
The minister also called on aid organizations to continue supporting returnee families, saying a program to resettle thousands of internally displaced families is also underway.
Kabir further said the necessary facilities have been provided for UN agencies to operate and that the Islamic Emirate welcomes UNAMA’s humanitarian cooperation.
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