The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit is scheduled to take place on September 1 in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, with leaders of the organization’s 10 member states expected to attend.

However, no invitation for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has so far been publicly announced.

Experts say Afghanistan’s participation in SCO meetings is important for regional security and stability, given the country’s strategic location and the direct impact of developments in Afghanistan on neighboring SCO members.

The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly called for Afghanistan to be included in regional discussions, arguing that Kabul’s views should be considered in decisions and initiatives concerning the future of the region.

Analysts say participation in SCO meetings could give Kabul an opportunity to strengthen engagement with regional countries, particularly on security and economic cooperation. They also believe Afghanistan’s presence could contribute to discussions on the country’s future role in regional security and economic mechanisms.

Afghanistan became an SCO observer in 2012, but its observer status was suspended following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in August 2021.

Russian officials have previously said that the organization’s permanent members hold a positive view of restoring Afghanistan’s observer status.

Analysts believe restoring the status could provide Afghanistan with a platform for greater regional engagement and help expand cooperation with SCO members in areas such as security, trade and economic development.

The United States could eventually reopen its embassy in Kabul, but any renewed relationship with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan should be built gradually and based on concrete actions, former US ambassador Ronald E. Neumann has said.

Speaking to i24NEWS, Neumann said he could envisage Washington restoring a diplomatic presence in Kabul, although he could not predict when.

“There are reasons to reopen,” Neumann said, while stressing that the Islamic Emirate would first need to make policy changes, particularly regarding its treatment of women.

His comments follow an appeal by acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi for the United States to reopen its embassy, restore diplomatic ties and invest in Afghanistan. Muttaqi has proposed US investment in minerals, dams and roads while ruling out any return of American troops.

Neumann said Washington and the Islamic Emirate are already engaging pragmatically in limited areas, including discussions over Americans detained in Afghanistan and counterterrorism.

However, he expressed serious concerns about restrictions on women and girls and the Islamic Emirate’s relationships with militant groups, including Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Despite those concerns, Neumann warned that completely disengaging from Afghanistan could create risks for the United States and the wider region.

He said Afghanistan’s mineral resources could potentially attract US investment, but major projects would require greater security, rule of law and investor confidence.

Neumann also reflected on the collapse of the former Afghan government, saying it resulted from a combination of political, institutional and strategic failures. He argued that Afghan leaders failed to build a state that enough people believed was worth defending, while US policy created excessive reliance on American protection and aid.

On future engagement, Neumann urged Washington to exchange concrete actions rather than promises.

“You should only trade real actions for real actions,” he said, arguing that any normalization should proceed “step by step” because there is little trust between the two sides.

He warned that reopening an embassy without securing meaningful commitments could weaken Washington’s negotiating position.

“Not by promises, not by hopes that things will be better,” Neumann said. “That has to be step by step.”

Four new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) have been reported in Afghanistan, bringing the country’s total to 19 so far this year, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region polio bulletin.

The cases were reported in Herat, Paktika and Kandahar provinces. Two were recorded in Herat’s Shindand and Adraskan districts, while Paktika’s Dila district and Kandahar’s Arghestan district each reported one case.

The WHO bulletin, issued for the week ending August 16 and published on Sunday, August 23, said 22 WPV1 cases have been confirmed across the Eastern Mediterranean region in 2026, including 19 in Afghanistan and three in Pakistan.

Afghanistan recorded 21 WPV1 cases in 2025, while Pakistan recorded 31, bringing the regional total to 52 cases last year.

Environmental surveillance also indicates continued circulation of WPV1. A total of 176 positive environmental samples have been recorded across the region this year, including 58 in Afghanistan and 118 in Pakistan. No new positive environmental samples were reported during the latest reporting week.

The latest figures highlight the continued circulation of wild poliovirus in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the only two countries where wild poliovirus remains endemic.