Stability in Afghanistan stimulates transit shipments in Asia - Uzbek Foreign Ministry The participants in a meeting of the Termez Dialogue on Connectivity Between Central and South Asia believe that a stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan helps increase transit shipments via its territory, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said.The event on building a common space of peace, friendship, and prosperity was organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the president, the Foreign Ministry, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan."In the view of the event participants, Afghanistan plays a key role as a backbone of the entire trans-regional connectivity architecture, acting as a land bridge linking Central and South Asia. Considering this, as the forum participants believe, a stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan and its stable development should become an important area of cooperation between Central and South Asia," it said.Uzbekistan spoke out in support of transport and energy projects in Afghanistan, as, "on the one hand, Kabul's involvement in interregional ties should elevate its role as a strategic bridge, which would make all external actors more interested in achieving security in that country. On the other hand, stability in Afghanistan should have a positive effect on the entire Eurasian macro-region and eliminate the social basis of destructive forces," it said."Relative stability in Afghanistan these days prompts growth in transit shipments via its territory. Afghanistan is regaining its role as a link between Central and South Asia," it said.The meeting participants acknowledged that ensuring security and stability in Afghanistan would be impossible without constructive interaction with that country's authorities, placing an emphasis on the economy and engagement in interregional ties, the ministry said. "This would be key not only for the development but also for a lasting peace inside Afghanistan," it said.The volume of transit shipments between the two regions via the Trans-Afghan corridor has more than doubled to 2 million tonnes in 2024 from 805,000 tonnes in 2021. The volume of road shipments between Central and South Asia via the Trans-Afghan corridor grew eight-fold to 470,000 tonnes in 2024 from 56,000 tonnes in 2021.Uzbekistan's trade with Afghanistan reached $1.1 billion in 2024, which is nearly 70% more than in 2021. Uzbekistan has forwarded 11 shipments of humanitarian aid weighing over 12,000 tonnes to Afghanistan over the past four years, the ministry said. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: Interfax