RASC News Agency: Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan, has stated that global attention towards Afghanistan has waned. Speaking at an informal meeting of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Shusha, the Uzbek President attributed this shift in focus to ongoing conflicts in various parts of the world.
Uzbek media reported that he said, “Unfortunately, due to the intensification of wars and conflicts in other regions of the world, the situation in neighboring Afghanistan, where millions of Turks reside, has fallen out of the global community’s focus.” He expressed hope and emphasized that Uzbekistan will continue to support Afghanistan. In his speech at the meeting, Shavkat Mirziyoyev called for coordinated efforts to assist Afghanistan in facing the challenges it encounters amid global conflicts.
During the OTS meeting, he reiterated his country’s commitment to helping Afghanistan, stating, “Uzbekistan will continue to provide necessary assistance to the people of Afghanistan.” Referring to the importance of economic measures, especially the unfreezing of Afghanistan assets, Mirziyoyev remarked, “We believe that the return of Afghanistan’s blocked financial assets from abroad will help alleviate the social situation in the country.”
He also called for coordinated efforts among OTS member states to address the situation in Afghanistan. This comes at a time when the Taliban have marginalized other ethnic groups, excluding them from significant roles in national politics. Tajiks, Turks, and Hazaras are living under repression, with their lands in various provinces, including Takhar and Kunduz, being seized and given to nomadic tribes.