Uzbekistan has previously sought to improve its relations with the Taliban. So in the mid-1990s, a Taliban delegation entered the city of Tirmuz. Uzbekistan has also played an important role in Afghanistan since 2001. Despite security concerns and the economic-commercial outlook in Afghanistan's post-reform period, Tashkent has always sought to address the issue of peace in Afghanistan and its domestic actors.　(Photo quoted from Yahoo’s image)

 

The imminent withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, and the possible acquiring power by the Taliban, have forced Uzbeks to strengthen their ties with the Taliban  Since 2016, Uzbekistan's foreign policy has witnessed a significant shift in domestic and foreign policy. Therefore, it has considered a balanced multi-axis foreign policy. 

 

In recent years, the visits of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abbas Stanekzai to Tashkent, the 2018 Samarkand Peace Summit and the 2019 Tashkent, the appointment of a representative for Afghanistan, show that Afghanistan is a priority in Uzbekistan's foreign policy. The Uzbek government is trying to prove its capabilities to foreign actors. While Uzbekistan has a stronger presence in the regional and international arena; Participation in the Afghan peace process can be seen as a more active role for Uzbekistan in the face of the leadership of Kazakhstan as a regional player.

 

Increasing Tashkent's role in the Afghan peace process could also increase the soft power position among Afghan Uzbeks and the Afghan government. On the other hand, Uzbekistan, as a neighboring country, has always been affected by problems in Afghanistan, such as drug trafficking, organized crime, and the illicit arms trade and the refugee issue.

 

The presence of militants in Afghanistan's Northern provinces has also made peace and stability in the country more important for Tashkent. The growing number of armed opposition groups such as ISIS poses a threat to the region and Uzbekistan, including in the northern regions bordering Central Asia. In the meantime, security consultations on the developments in Afghanistan and its impact on the Central Asian security environment have led to the need to strengthen military and security interactions between countries in the region, increase Uzbek intelligence and practical cooperation with other countries, and encourage Tashkent to participate more in Afghanistan's peace process. 

 

So, Uzbekistan seeks to expand direct economic relations with Afghanistan or other countries through Afghanistan after achieving peace. Stability in Afghanistan plays an important role in the development of Central Asia and the significant expansion of bilateral relations with Afghanistan and the creation of investment facilities between the two countries.

 

In addition, Tashkent seems to believe that by stabilizing the security situation and connecting the Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif-Herat railway to Iran, Uzbekistan will be able to use Chabahar's capacity to transit needed goods, so it is trying to turn the peace prospect in Afghanistan into a platform to increase the prospect economic ties and greater Tashkent presence, especially in northern Afghanistan.

 

In recent years, Uzbekistan has tried to demonstrate its readiness to contribute to Afghanistan's security and peace by inviting all influential countries and holding summits on Afghanistan. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, is trying to reach out to the Taliban as a mediator and host for the formation of talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government at Kabul's request, and to encourage a common approach between the Afghan government and the Taliban. In this context, although the prospects for peace in Afghanistan are very complex, the Tashkent approach could have positive consequences for the country in the medium term.

 

Farzad Ramezani Bonesh

Senior Researcher and Analyst of International Affairs

Related articles