Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, addressing the fifth Central Asian summit in Dushanbe, highlighted the region’s commitment to peace and sustainable development over the past five years.
Rahmon underscored Central Asia’s transformation into a stable and prosperous region, emphasizing the importance of expanding trade, fostering economic relations, implementing cooperation programs in agriculture and industry, introducing new technologies, and advancing major infrastructure projects.
He also stressed the significance of cultural and humanitarian cooperation, the creation of a Central Asian Media Association, and addressing security challenges in the information space of Central Asia.
Regarding Afghanistan, Rahmon expressed Tajikistan’s commitment to providing favorable socio-economic conditions and facilitating humanitarian aid delivery to stabilize the situation in the country. However, he raised concerns about increased terrorist group activity within Afghanistan’s borders.
“In recent years, we have encountered attempts by various terrorist groups to breach our state border. Not long ago, we thwarted two such attempts, aimed at carrying out terrorist attacks in our capital and other regions,” Rahmon disclosed.
Furthermore, Rahmon noted a surge in drug smuggling along the border with Afghanistan, citing a significant increase in drug seizures compared to the previous year.
“In 2022, our authorities confiscated approximately 5 tons of narcotics along the Afghan border, marking a 22% increase from 2021,” the Tajik president stated.
In light of these challenges, Rahmon emphasized the need for regional cooperation and unity, highlighting that security is paramount for the successful implementation of their collective goals and initiatives.