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Afghanistan excluded from 2025 SCO Summit amid regional concerns
Despite Afghanistan’s central role in regional security, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has not been invited to attend.
The 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit is being held from Sunday, 31 August in Tianjin, China, with leaders set to discuss regional cooperation, sustainable development, security and stability, multilateralism, and China’s “Five Common Homes” initiative promoting peace, unity, and good neighborliness.
Despite Afghanistan’s central role in regional security, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has not been invited to attend.
The exclusion reflects continued concerns among SCO members about the threat of domestic and cross-border militant groups since the IEA’s return to power in 2021.
Recent talks in Kabul between officials from China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan’s foreign ministry underlined these anxieties, with discussions dominated by worries over extremist activity.
Afghan officials had hoped for recognition and greater dialogue, but their expectations from the meeting were left unmet.
Russia and China both maintain working-level ties with the Islamic Emirate, yet Afghanistan remains absent from formal multilateral forums like the SCO.
Analysts suggest the exclusion stems from U.S. pressure within the UN Security Council, which has restricted the travel of senior Afghan officials.
Examples include the cancellation of Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to Islamabad and India’s successful effort to block his participation in a meeting in New Delhi.
As SCO leaders gather in Tianjin, Afghanistan’s absence once again highlights the geopolitical tensions surrounding its future role in regional security and counterterrorism cooperation.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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