Ismatulla Irgashev, the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan, stressed the need for greater coordination between Uzbekistan and United Nations agencies to address the Afghanistan issue peacefully during his meeting with Akiko Fujii, the representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the country.
Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that both sides considered it essential to support the Afghan people through education and humanitarian assistance.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan in the statement said that the meeting discussed the “ongoing commitment to support the people of Afghanistan through education and humanitarian initiatives. The parties emphasized the importance of further coordination of the actions of Uzbekistan and UN institutions for a peaceful settlement of the Afghan problem.”
Uzbekistan is among the countries maintaining good political and economic relations with Afghanistan’s interim government, with the Islamic Emirate’s ambassador recently presenting his credentials to Uzbekistan’s foreign minister on the 19th of Mizan (solar calendar).
Uzbekistan’s new ambassador arrived in Kabul last week and is expected to present his credentials to the Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate in the coming days.
The Ministry of Economy considered improved relations between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan beneficial.
Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, told TOLOnews about relations with Uzbekistan, stating: “Currently, we have ongoing relations in the fields of economy and trade, transportation, agriculture, mining, and energy, and these relations are set to expand. Uzbekistan is considered one of the economic and trade partners of the Islamic Emirate.”
“Through Uzbekistan, we can establish good relations with Central Asia, Russia, China, and even countries beyond the region, and Uzbekistan can help us in this effort,” Salim Paigir, a political affairs expert, told TOLOnews.
Earlier, the Uzbekistan special representative also emphasized peace, stability, and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in a meeting with the regional representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.