Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 13 April 2023, the fourth ministerial meeting of the neighboring countries of Afghanistan was held in Samarkand, which was attended by the heads of the foreign ministries of Uzbekistan, Iran, China, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. The event was chaired by the Uzbek side.

During the forum, the parties discussed the current situation in Afghanistan, the implementation by the current authorities of this country of the key requirements of the world community - the creation of an inclusive government, ensuring Afghan women’s access to work and education, and respect for the rights of national minorities.

The need to develop a mechanism for joint action aimed at providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and restoring the country’s national economy was emphasized.

The importance of strengthening the measures of the countries-neighbors of this country in the fight against international terrorism, production and smuggling of drugs was stated.

The importance of promoting the disclosure of the potential of Afghanistan as a key factor in regional interconnectedness between Central and South Asia was noted.

In this context, the parties spoke in favor of the implementation of infrastructure and socio-economic projects on the territory of Afghanistan with the participation of neighboring states, which will contribute not only to the creation of new jobs, but also to a more active integration of this country into regional economic processes.