Uzbekistan urges SCO to resume regular dialogue with Afghanistan

Uzbekistan has called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to resume regular dialogue with Afghan representatives, saying peace and stability in the country are essential to the security and economic development of the wider region.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made the proposal during the SCO’s 25th-anniversary summit in Bishkek.

“Preserving peace and stability in Afghanistan remains a fundamental condition for ensuring the security and sustainable development of our region,” Mirziyoyev said.

He proposed renewed regular engagement as a platform for discussing regional security concerns, economic development and integration into regional cooperation mechanisms.

For Uzbekistan, closer engagement is closely linked to the expansion of trade, transport and energy connections between Central and South Asia. Tashkent has consistently promoted infrastructure and economic projects involving its southern neighbor as a means of strengthening regional connectivity and creating new opportunities for development.

Mirziyoyev also highlighted efforts to strengthen the SCO’s institutional capacity to address emerging security challenges. He said the adoption of provisions establishing a Universal Center for Countering Security Challenges and Threats in Tashkent would mark a new stage in the organization’s institutional development.

The center is expected to facilitate cooperation among SCO member states, including through information and expertise sharing on emerging security threats.

Together, the initiatives could support a more coordinated regional approach, combining diplomatic engagement with stronger mechanisms to address security risks.

Greater stability would also help expand transport corridors and trade links connecting Central Asia with South Asian markets.

The proposals reflect Mirziyoyev’s broader vision for the SCO, with greater emphasis on practical economic and regional cooperation alongside its traditional security agenda.