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Draft Dushanbe declaration discussed at Heart of Asia meeting
The first day of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) summit was held between Deputy Foreign Ministers of the participating countries in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, Monday, where all officials emphasized the need for accelerating the Afghan peace process.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the participating and supporting countries, international and regional organizations, international financial institutions, the Tajikistan Foreign Ministry said.
“Participants discussed the draft final document of the Ninth Ministerial Conference ‘Heart of Asia – the Istanbul Process’ – the Dushanbe Declaration,” the ministry added.
The participants also stressed the need for a regional consensus and to put pressure on the Taliban to end the long-term war in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan Deputy Foreign Minister Mirwais Nab urged influential countries to force the Taliban to call a ceasefire.
“International consensus is not only important for peace in Afghanistan but also for creating a unified vision of regional connectivity and glory. As we emphasized at the Ministerial Meeting in Kabul that the Afghan peace process is an opportunity for all of us to find a common vision for regional connectivity, cooperation, and economic development,” Nab stated.
Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Khosrow Nazeri called on the participating countries not to leave Afghanistan alone at this crucial moment.
“We, the representatives of the participating countries, strongly support bringing peace and power to the region and Afghanistan,” Nazeri said.
He added that the Istanbul process is a very important ground for preparing the region “to pay more attention to the Afghan peace process.”
The Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process was founded on November 2, 2011, in Istanbul, Turkey.
The organization was established to address the shared challenges and interests of Afghanistan and its neighbors and regional partners.
The Heart of Asia is comprised of 15 participating countries are Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Russian, Pakistan, China, UAE, and Saudi Arabia
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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