PA meeting focuses on situation in Afghanistan and impact on Central Asia
OSCE PA President Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden) convened an online meeting today with the heads of OSCE PA delegations and representatives of OSCE field offices in the region, as well as other relevant actors such as the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and possible impacts for the region. The discussion focused in particular on border security, refugees, radicalization, transnational crime, and human rights.
Cederfelt was joined by Saidmurod Fattohzoda, Head of the Delegation of Tajikistan to the OSCE PA, and Sadik Safoev, Head of the Delegation of Uzbekistan to the OSCE PA, as well as OSCE PA Special Representative on Central Asia and Vice-President Pia Kauma (Finland), Special Representative on Sustainable Development Goals and Vice-President Askar Shakirov (Kazakhstan), and OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella. They were also joined by representatives of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.
Special Representative Kauma said that Afghanistan’s security will not only affect neighboring countries but also the wider region, and emphasized the importance of keeping focus on the situation of refugees. In his remarks, Shakirov stressed the importance of working to build confidence of the Afghan people.
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Speaking on behalf of the OSCE PA’s Delegation from Tajikistan, Fattohzoda said that restoring peace in Afghanistan would have a positive impact on the region as a whole. Representing Uzbekistan’s Delegation to the OSCE PA, Safoev said that the main point of concern at the moment is the refugees, pointing out that Uzbekistan is working with numerous countries to manage humanitarian evacuations and to prevent spillover effect from Afghanistan to neighboring countries
Representatives of OSCE field operations in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan highlighted the importance of co-ordination and communication in meeting the security challenges in the region. It was emphasized that the Parliamentary Assembly is a good platform for focusing attention on the issue and participants expressed the desire to maintain close co-ordination and dialogue with the PA. President Cederfelt underlined the PA’s appreciation for the work of the OSCE field operations and pledged to help highlight their priorities.
Secretary General Montella noted that the 31 August deadline could represent a major upheaval for the way of life of millions of Afghans, in particular women and girls, and the international community must therefore emphasize the fundamental nature of human rights.