BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 1. Uzbekistan
called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to resume regular
dialogue with representatives of Afghanistan, linking stability
therein to overall regional security and economic development,
Trend's special
correspondent reports.


President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made the proposal during the SCO’s
25th-anniversary summit in Bishkek, where he identified peace and
stability in Afghanistan as a fundamental condition for the
security and development of the wider region.


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


Against this backdrop, the Uzbek president proposed resuming
regular SCO dialogue with Afghan representatives. The initiative
would provide a platform for discussing regional security concerns
as well as Afghanistan’s economic development and integration into
regional cooperation mechanisms.


For Uzbekistan, greater engagement with Afghanistan is closely
linked to the development of trade, transport and energy
connections across Central and South Asia. Tashkent has
consistently promoted economic projects involving Afghanistan as a
means of supporting regional connectivity and creating additional
opportunities for the country’s economic development.


The proposal also comes as Uzbekistan seeks to strengthen the
SCO’s institutional capacity to address regional security
challenges. Mirziyoyev 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 provide a platform for cooperation on
emerging security threats and facilitate information and expertise
sharing among SCO member states.


The Afghan dialogue initiative and the planned center could
complement each other by combining broader engagement with
Afghanistan with stronger regional mechanisms for addressing
security risks.


From Uzbekistan’s perspective, closer SCO engagement with
Afghanistan could also support a more coordinated approach to the
country’s economic and infrastructure development. Stable
conditions in Afghanistan would facilitate the expansion of
regional transport corridors and trade links connecting Central
Asia with South Asian markets.


The proposals form part of Mirziyoyev’s broader vision for the
SCO, which places greater emphasis on practical regional
cooperation alongside its traditional security agenda.