Moscow to host 8th meeting of Afghanistan consultations on October 5

The eighth round of the Moscow Format consultations on Afghanistan will be held in Moscow on October 5, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

The meeting will bring together special representatives and senior officials from Afghanistan, Russia, China, Iran, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Belarus and Egypt have also been invited to participate as guest countries, Zakharova said during a briefing.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to address the participants during the consultations.

According to Zakharova, the Afghan delegation will be led by Afghanistan’s foreign minister, who is also scheduled to hold a separate meeting with Lavrov on the sidelines of the event.

The bilateral talks are expected to focus on current issues related to cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan.

At the broader consultations, participants are expected to discuss political and economic cooperation between Afghanistan and regional countries, as well as efforts to strengthen regional cooperation in combating terrorism and drug trafficking.

A joint statement is expected to be adopted at the conclusion of the meeting, Zakharova said.