The seventh meeting of the Moscow Format of Consultations on Afghanistan took place on Oct. 7 in Moscow, bringing together special representatives and senior officials from 10 nations: Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Russia established the Moscow Format in 2017. Most of the participating nations are also members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which held a meeting to collaborate on Afghanistan, over Sept. 11-12 in Dushanbe, under the chairmanship of Tajikistan.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi led the Taliban delegation in Moscow, in the first time the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has attended a Moscow Format meeting. A delegation from Belarus also participated as guests. This forum creates the opening for nations to both officially recognize Afghanistan and to begin expanding participation in Afghanistan’s physical development. Muttaqi will then go to India, visiting over Oct. 9-16, having received a travel waiver from UN sanctions, to make the important trip.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov opened the conference, stating that “we believe that the security and well-being of our region depend on Afghanistan’s active involvement in political processes, multilateral mechanisms, and joint economic initiatives. Russia fully supports this approach. By officially recognizing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in July, we removed previous restrictions on cooperation at the state level. We are committed to developing cooperation in counterterrorism, combatting drug trafficking, and diversifying economic ties.”
