Kazakhstan strengthens regional cooperation on Afghanistan
Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Afghanistan – Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Yerkin Tukumov, paid a working visit to Brussels to participate in the seventh meeting of the European Union and Central Asian Special Representatives and Envoys for Afghanistan, the press service of the Kazakh MFA reported.
The event was attended by representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, as well as the EU Special Representative for Afghanistan, Gilles Bertrand, and the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Edvardas Štiprais.
During the meeting, participants discussed the current situation in Afghanistan, emphasizing the importance of continuing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and enhancing regional efforts to ensure stability in the country.
Following the meeting, the parties noted the need to achieve lasting peace and sustainable development in Afghanistan and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation between Central Asian countries and the European Union in support of the Afghan people.
Ahead of the main meeting, Ambassador Tukumov took part in a roundtable discussion titled Afghanistan and the Climate Crisis: Local Realities, Regional Pathways, Global Stakes, organized by the European External Action Service and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Brussels. The discussion focused on the impact of climate change on Afghanistan’s socio-economic situation, as well as on opportunities for regional cooperation in sustainable development and climate adaptation.
As part of the working visit, Tukumov also held separate meetings with the EU Special Representatives for Afghanistan and Central Asia, Gilles Bertrand and Edvardas Štiprais, as well as with representatives of the EU Delegation in Kabul, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the Aga Khan Foundation in Afghanistan, the “Afghanistan Analysts Network” of the University of Gothenburg (Sweden), and the Centre for the Study of Afghanistan and South Asia.
The dialogue platform “Meetings of the EU and Central Asian Special Representatives and Envoys for Afghanistan,” established in 2021, serves as an important mechanism for regular exchanges of views and coordination of approaches to Afghan-related issues.
Earlier, it was reported that Kazakhstan plans to send humanitarian aid to quake-hit Afghanistan. The mission will include medical specialists, as well as medicines and essential supplies.