Uzbek officials said on Thursday during a three-day conference in Termez city that Afghanistan should be integrated into regional economic and infrastructure projects as part of cooperation between Central and South Asia.

The Termez Dialogue, initiated by the government of Uzbekistan and hosted by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, brought together around 200 participants from Central and South Asia, Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Asia, and the Middle East.

The conference was attended by senior officials, experts, and representatives from various countries, including Afghanistan, and aimed to explore ways to strengthen economic and security ties between the two regions.

Uzbek officials emphasized that despite the Islamic Emirate not being officially recognized, Afghanistan should not be excluded from regional economic developments.

Meanwhile, the head of Uzbekistan’s Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies referred to major initiatives such as TAPI, CASA-1000, and the Afghan Trans railway, stating that there is a strong consensus in Central Asia for deepening cooperation with South Asia and including Afghanistan in this process.

The First Deputy Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan also highlighted the Trans-Afghan Railway, stretching from Termez to the southern seas, as a key project. He stated that the route has the potential to transform the region’s trade and economic outlook and lay the foundation for a common market of nearly two billion people.

On the first day of the conference, a deputy from Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry expressed the country’s readiness to participate in all regional initiatives, especially in areas such as infrastructure, transportation, trade, energy, and education. He called on the international community to recognize Afghanistan as a reliable partner and to invest in the development of its economy.