Neighboring Countries: Afghanistan’s Stability Depends on an Inclusive Government and Managing Cross-Border Threats.
Neighboring countries of Afghanistan, while expressing readiness to assist in stabilizing the country upon request from Afghan authorities, emphasized that such cooperation can only be effective within the framework of an inclusive government representing all ethnic groups.
They warned that the continuation of a mono-ethnic and exclusive governance system not only undermines lasting stability but also exacerbates cross-border security threats originating from Afghan territory, affecting the region’s security.
At the same time, the countries voiced serious concern over the activities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, cautioning that using Afghan territory as a safe haven, training ground, or operational base for extremist organizations poses a direct threat to regional security.
They stressed that the Taliban bear the responsibility for effective and verifiable measures to prevent such activities, and without concrete action, cross-border threats cannot be contained.
The participants also highlighted the expansion of drug and human trafficking and expressed readiness to assist in these areas. However, regional observers note that the Taliban’s structural involvement in, or tolerance of, narcotics cultivation and trafficking is a key factor in the failure to curb these activities.
This situation, they argue, not only weakens the Taliban’s capacity to combat terrorism and organized crime but also casts serious doubt on regional confidence in Kabul’s security commitments.
