Ismatulla Irgashev, Uzbek President Special Representative, met Tetsuya Yamada Director General of the South Asia Department at JICA, on Thursday to discuss joint projects aimed at Afghanistan’s socio-economic development.
Uzbekistan’s foreign ministry said the Japanese side praised Tashkent’s pragmatic approach to Afghanistan and highlighted the importance of infrastructure in Termez as a suitable base for implementing international humanitarian and social projects.
Yamada expressed Japan International Cooperation Agency’s interest in using Termez’s capacities for programmes in education, healthcare, agriculture, private sector development and combating drug trafficking.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has strengthened Termez as a logistical and humanitarian hub for Afghanistan-related projects. Since 2022, it has served as a key route for delivering international aid to Afghanistan, and from early 2025 it joined the global emergency warehouse network of UNHCR.
Despite these efforts, experts and human rights organisations have raised concerns about the effectiveness of development projects under current conditions in Afghanistan. International sanctions, banking restrictions, security challenges and, notably, Taliban-imposed limits on women’s and minorities’ rights are among the key obstacles.
Many Afghan civil society activists and UN experts stress that without tangible progress on human rights, particularly in women’s education and employment, development assistance may not be sustainable or could even reinforce existing conditions.
No detailed information has yet been released about the projects discussed, including budgets, timelines or specific areas of implementation.
The meeting is part of Uzbekistan’s diplomatic efforts to coordinate international assistance for Afghanistan. Irgashev has recently met several representatives of international organisations and foreign diplomats to facilitate practical project implementation.
Although Uzbekistan does not formally recognise the Taliban government, it maintains extensive economic and political ties with them. Taliban officials have previously welcomed Tashkent’s approach.
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