A Session on the Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia to be Held at the Doha Forum

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 7 December 2025, within the framework of the annual Doha Forum, a dedicated session will be held on the Termez Dialogue on connectivity between Central and South Asia under the theme: “Reviving Afghanistan through Regional Connectivity: The Termez Dialogue.”

The event is organized by the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISMI) in cooperation with the Center for International and Regional Studies at Georgetown University’s Qatar campus.

Launched in May 2025 in the city of Termez, the Termez Dialogue serves as a permanent platform for the practical promotion of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s initiative to strengthen connectivity between Central and South Asia — an initiative supported by the UN General Assembly in a special resolution on 11 July 2022.

In today’s context of profound geopolitical shifts, restoring historical ties between Central and South Asia has become an objective necessity. Connectivity, cooperation, dialogue, and trust are key conditions for ensuring security, stability, and sustainable development in this strategically important macro-region.

Afghanistan holds a special place in these processes. Due to its geographical location, the country serves as a natural bridge between the two regions.

Developing pragmatic cooperation, expanding economic linkages, and involving Afghanistan in interregional processes are seen as essential factors for long-term stability and peaceful development across Central and South Asia.

The upcoming session will focus on these issues. Participants will discuss Afghanistan’s role in ensuring transregional connectivity and practical steps to support sustainable socio-economic development within the broader regional context.

The session will be moderated by Zahra Babar, Director of the Center for International and Regional Studies at Georgetown University’s Qatar campus.

Participants include:

Ismatulla Irgashev, Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan;

Eldor Aripov, Director of ISMI;

Abdul Hai Kanit, Director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan;

Faisal Abdullah Al-Henzab, Special Representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar;

Walid Ziad, Professor of History at Georgetown University in Qatar.

The Doha Forum, held since 2002 with the support of the Government of Qatar, is a respected platform for discussing pressing global issues.

In 2025, the forum is convened under the theme “Justice in Action: From Promises to Progress.” Approximately 8,000 participants from around 150 countries are expected, including leaders and experts from major think tanks in the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, EU countries, the Middle East, India, Pakistan, China, Japan, and Korea.