SCO Secretary General: Promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan is our priority task

The promotion of peace and stability in Afghanistan within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has always stood and is on a priority place. TASS was told by the Secretary General of the SCO, Vladimir Norov, who took office on January 1.

“It is obvious that the establishment of peace and stability in Afghanistan, its economic recovery will contribute to the security and sustainable development of the region as a whole,” said Norov. In 2005, he recalled, the contact group SCO - Afghanistan was established, which has been active since 2017. This mechanism is designed to coordinate the efforts of the SCO in the Afghan direction.

“I think that we should foster these efforts by taking certain steps so that the Afghan people feel that they can rely on such an influential, authoritative organization as the SCO,” Norov stated.

He noted that the SCO supports the endeavors of the government and the people of Afghanistan, aimed at ensuring security, the economic development of the country, resisting terrorism, extremism and drug-related crime.

Norov said that a training center for young Afghans was created in Termez (Uzbekistan), in which more than 100 Afghan young men and women are currently being trained in 17 professions. It is planned to increase the number of students up to 300.

According to the SCO Secretary General, negotiations are under way and preliminary construction works from Mazar-i-Sharif to Herat have begun with the participation of Uzbekistan Railways. The connection of this rail line with the Iranian railway network will ensure the exit of trains from Afghanistan to the ports of the Persian Gulf. Thus, it will increase Afghanistan's trade turnover by 50%.