Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 25-26 July, at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, an international conference "Afghanistan: security and economic development" will be held in Tashkent.

The convened forum, first of all, is intended to promote a constructive discussion and development of agreed approaches to building a dialogue with the new Afghan authorities, taking into account both the interests of the Afghan people and the world community as a whole.

The conference also plans to consider issues of post-conflict reconstruction in Afghanistan, the implementation of humanitarian and infrastructure projects aimed at creating conditions for achieving stability and peace in this country. 

Special attention will be paid to the implementation of the Special Resolution of the UN General Assembly adopted on 11 July this year at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on strengthening the interconnectedness between Central and South Asia, which emphasizes the key importance of Afghanistan for international peace, security and sustainable development.

In this context, the central role is played by the creation of a transport and communication infrastructure linking Central and South Asia, the laying of the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway, which will turn Afghanistan into a trans-regional land bridge.

Sayfiddin Juraev, doctor of political sciences, professor of the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, commented on the importance of the implementation of the project for the construction of the trans-Afghan road promoted by the Uzbek side.

In the current difficult political, economic and humanitarian situation in the world, joint efforts to integrate the countries of Central and South Asia, including Afghanistan, into the system of international transport corridors are of particular importance.

That is why the upcoming international conference, which is a logical continuation of international forums previously held in the capital of our country at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, such as the “Peace process, security cooperation and regional cooperation” from 27 March 2018 and “Central and South Asia : regional interconnectedness. Challenges and Opportunities” from 15-16 July 2021, is of strategic importance for ensuring peace, stability and sustainable development in the vast Eurasian space.

Firstly, the current conference will contribute to the development of proposals and specific measures to unlock the potential of Central Asia in the field of exporting transport services between the countries of Southeast Asia and other regions of the world. It is expected that as a result of Afghanistan’s transport cooperation with other countries, regional GDP may at least double in 10 years. Of course, the construction of the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway plays a key role in this context. It should be noted that quite recently, on the territory of Afghanistan, with the participation of specialists from Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, work began to determine the railway route of the trans-Afghan railway and prepare a feasibility study for the project.

Secondly, the construction of the railway will contribute to strengthening the political and economic interaction between the regions of Central and South Asia. On the other hand, it will open up a huge market for countries such as Pakistan, Iran, India and Afghanistan itself. This, in turn, creates new economic prerequisites, opportunities for sustainable development, strengthening peace and stability.

Thirdly, the implementation of this so-called "project of the century" will provide the Central Asian countries with the shortest access to the ports of the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf, will promote the cooperation of South Asia with the markets of Europe and China, and restore the historical role of Central Asia as a natural link between the East and Europe. .

In general, the construction of the railway "Termez - Mazar - Sharif - Kabul - Peshawar" will create the closest, cheapest and safest corridor, which opens up great opportunities for establishing long-term peace in the neighboring country. This railway will completely change the face of our regions.