Eldor Aripov Participates in Annual Doha Forum

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The annual Doha Forum, a leading global platform for discussing international trends, diplomatic initiatives, and sustainable development strategies, concluded in Doha.

Since its inception in 2002, the forum has brought together world leaders, representatives of international organizations, think tanks, and the academic community.

The 2025 forum, held under the theme “Justice in Action: From Promises to Progress”, gathered approximately 8,000 participants from 150 countries. Key discussions focused on peacebuilding, regional connectivity, and sustainable development.

A dedicated session was held on the Termez Dialogue, an initiative launched by Uzbekistan aimed at creating a new architecture of interconnectivity between Central and South Asia through active Afghan engagement. The session was organized by the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISMI) in collaboration with the Center for International and Regional Studies of Georgetown University’s Qatar campus.

Participants included Eldor Aripov, Director of ISMI, Ismatulla Irgashev, Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan, Abdul Khai Kanit, Director of the Strategic Studies Center at the Afghan MFA, Faisal Abdullah Al-Khanzab, Special Representative of the Qatari Foreign Minister, and Walid Ziad, History Professor at Georgetown University in Qatar. The discussion was moderated by Zahra Babar, Director of the Center for International and Regional Studies.

Speaking at the session, Eldor Aripov emphasized that holding the event on such a prestigious platform reflects Uzbekistan’s growing role as an initiator and driver of transregional processes.

He noted that international attention to the Termez Dialogue underscores the understanding that sustainable peace, security, and economic development in Central and South Asia cannot be achieved without constructive Afghan engagement. Aripov expressed deep gratitude to the forum organizers and highlighted Qatar’s role as a key diplomatic mediator on Afghan issues, providing a unique environment for neutral, professional, and open dialogue.

Aripov stressed that the Termez Dialogue is not only an expert platform but also a strategic concept shaping a new philosophy of international engagement in Afghanistan, rooted in the foreign policy approach of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev: stability is achieved through development, connectivity, and cooperation, not pressure or isolation. The dialogue is guided by the principle that peace is strengthened where jobs, transport corridors, educational opportunities, humanitarian routes, and long-term economic incentives are created.

He highlighted Uzbekistan’s significant contribution in recent years to shaping the international agenda on Afghanistan, focusing on pragmatic, economically viable solutions. Initiatives such as the Ayritom International Trade Center, the UN humanitarian hub, and educational programs have demonstrated the effectiveness of a practical, regionally responsible approach.

“This has created a common understanding that Afghanistan’s development is key to the security and sustainable growth of the entire Central–South Asia macro-region,” Aripov stated.

He also emphasized Termez’s strategic role as a historical crossroads of civilizations, a transport hub, and a platform for economic cooperation. The initiative aims to create a broad interconnectivity space between Central and South Asia, with Afghanistan as the natural linking element. Aripov noted that in the context of global shocks and geopolitical fragmentation, connectivity becomes a new source of resilience and a form of “investment in peace”. Regional transport corridors, harmonization of procedures, digitalization of trade flows, and synergy of educational and energy projects can transform the macro-region into a key growth space in Eurasia.

Aripov announced that the next Termez Dialogue meeting is planned for spring 2026, with Uzbekistan continuing to consolidate efforts to maintain ongoing expert-diplomatic engagement. Plans include launching a specialized expert track “Afghanistan – Central Asia” to enable regular exchanges of views among professionals and generate practical recommendations for rapid results.

He invited all interested partners to visit Termez and become part of the Termez Dialogue, emphasizing that the initiative represents both a process and a strategic vision for a world based on openness, mutual benefit, and shared regional responsibility.

The Afghan side highly appreciated Uzbekistan’s efforts to ensure long-term security and stability in the region. Abdul Khai Kanit, Director of the Strategic Studies Center at the Afghan MFA, noted that Uzbekistan has demonstrated a constructive approach favorable to Kabul, based on economic dialogue rather than political security issues. This has strengthened trade, transit links, and people-to-people contacts.

Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Khanzab, Special Representative of the Qatari Foreign Minister, also expressed support for Uzbekistan’s initiatives to maintain channels between Afghanistan and the international community, highlighting the importance of the Termez Dialogue in enhancing interconnectivity and regional integration.

Finally, Professor Walid Ziad stressed that Central and South Asia historically formed a unified space of cultural, economic, and intellectual interconnectivity, with Afghanistan at its center. He emphasized that Uzbekistan’s constructive regional policy has created opportunities to restore this lost connectivity, rejecting outdated geopolitical paradigms that viewed Afghanistan primarily through the lens of conflict and risk. Long-term regional stability, he noted, requires recognizing Afghanistan as a full participant in regional processes and expanding cooperation in humanitarian, educational, and cultural spheres.