October 5, 2026
Moscow, Russia
In the name of Almighty Allah; the merciful and compassionate.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon Muhammad, and upon his family and all his companions.
Distinguished officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, respected members and distinguished guests and participants of the 8th Moscow Format Meeting, esteemed representatives of countries, ladies and gentlemen,
Assalam O alikum and peace be upon you,
First of all, I would like to thank the respected Government of the Russian Federation, and in particular my colleague and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mr. Sergey Lavrov, for once again providing this opportunity for me, on behalf of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, to share with you our views regarding the situation in Afghanistan and the region.
Distinguished participants,
As the international system is undergoing a sensitive period of transformation, the structures of relations among powers are changing, bilateral relations, regional organizations and regional mechanisms are gaining greater importance than before, and countries in different parts of the world are seeking to shape their relations on the basis of their national and regional interests.
If the situation in Afghanistan over the past several years is assessed in a relative and realistic manner, it is clear that the period of war in the country has ended, complete security has been established throughout the country, the foundations of governance have been strengthened, and Afghanistan has moved from a situation that, due to prolonged war and widespread instability, created security concerns for the region and the world, towards stability, economic reconstruction and regional engagement.
Our belief is that stability is not a one-day product, but a continuous process that requires security, economic growth, political engagement and regional cooperation. Therefore, alongside our achievements, we also clearly recognize greater responsibilities in addressing the remaining challenges.
Distinguished participants,
You are well aware that security is no longer defined solely in military terms. In the contemporary world, security is directly linked to the economy, trade, energy, water, food, information, social stability and regional connectivity.
Afghanistan believes that the future of our region should be built on common security, economic integration, regional connectivity, and dialogue and understanding rather than security competition and pressure.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has eliminated ISIS and other groups that were considered major threats to the security of Afghanistan and the region, and has effectively managed the fight against narcotics, which is an important component of our security policy.
We also believe that today’s security challenges are not confined to the geography of a single country. ISIS and its affiliates, destructive networks, narcotics, smuggling and organized crime move beyond the concept of borders. Therefore, the fight against these phenomena must also be regional. Afghanistan is ready for sustained cooperation with all regional countries in strengthening border security and undertaking joint measures against smuggling and narcotics.
In this regard, I would also like to clearly raise the issue of relations with Pakistan, as this matter is directly linked to the security and economy of the region.
Our fundamental belief is that the existing problems between Afghanistan and Pakistan—whether security-related, political or economic—can be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
Afghanistan does not want this issue to become a field of mutual accusations and propaganda. Our objective is to resolve the problem, not to find new means for prolonging it. But unfortunately, I must say that the military regime governing Pakistan is a non-political party. Instead of political understanding, they use only military language in their relations with Afghanistan.
You are aware that for a long time, the Pakistani military has carried out military aggression against Afghanistan in violation of all customary and international laws. They have killed patients in hospitals, students in schools and universities, and children, women and innocent people in their homes. Just a few days before this very meeting of ours, indiscriminate bombings in Afghanistan’s Kunar, Helmand and Paktika provinces once again resulted in the martyrdom of innocent members of several families.
In addition to military aggression, the Pakistani military regime has also turned humanitarian issues such as regional economic routes, refugees and students engaged in education into means of maximum pressure.
The Pakistani military regime, in addition to its one-sided statements, constantly makes baseless accusations against Afghanistan, while at the same time it has now begun working on a new project to challenge the security of Afghanistan and the region. Alongside personnel of the former regime, they have begun practical efforts, through members of ISIS, to spread insecurity in Afghanistan. They have gathered thousands of armed individuals near the Durand Line in order to challenge the stability that has been established in Afghanistan, and their failed movements in Nuristan, Badakhshan and some other areas are before all of you.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will formulate its internal and foreign policies with full independence and will never abandon its fundamental policy as a result of pressure. And it considers self-defense against any aggression its legitimate right.
Distinguished participants,
Afghanistan’s fight against narcotics is also an important component of regional security.
As a result of measures taken against the cultivation of poppy and the production of narcotics in Afghanistan, it has been reduced to almost zero. However, we believe that the narcotics issue is not merely an internal issue of Afghanistan; it is an international and regional issue.
If cultivation has been reduced in Afghanistan, but the cultivation of narcotics has increased to record levels on the other side of the Durand Line, and if trafficking networks continue this criminal activity through other routes in neighboring countries, then the problem will not be fully resolved. Therefore, we call on all regional countries to strengthen joint security, technical and economic cooperation against narcotics.
We particularly believe that alongside preventing poppy cultivation, alternative livelihoods for Afghan farmers, access to markets, and opportunities for the export of legal agricultural products must also be provided.
Distinguished participants,
Afghanistan has gone through difficult economic conditions, and clear signs of economic stability and recovery are now emerging.
The economic indicators of Afghanistan’s fiscal year 1404 present a picture of the gradual recovery of economic activity. During this year, the country’s real gross domestic product grew by 1.5 percent, and the process of economic recovery, which had begun with 2.3 percent growth in 1402, continued in 1403 and 1404 as well.
Our focus is on production, industry, agriculture, the expansion of exports, the private sector and investment. We believe that Afghanistan’s economic future should be based, to a greater extent, on production, trade and investment rather than aid.
In this regard, increased private-sector investment is also an indication of the momentum of economic activity and the emergence of economic stability in Afghanistan. In 1404, gross fixed capital formation reached 286.5 billion Afghanis, of which 200.9 billion Afghanis was invested by the private sector. The share of investment in gross domestic product also increased from 17 percent to 21.5 percent. This trend shows that the contribution of the private sector to the expansion of economic activity in Afghanistan is increasing, and that creating a more favorable environment for investment, developing infrastructure, and expanding regional economic cooperation can further strengthen this process.
At this point, I would like to call on the countries of the region for greater engagement in investment and economic partnership. Afghanistan has extensive potential in the fields of energy, mining, agriculture, industry, transit, logistics and infrastructure. We want to present Afghanistan to regional investors as a long-term economic partner.
We welcome investment that does not merely transfer capital, but also creates production, employment opportunities, technology, professional capacity and exports.
In this regard, Afghanistan’s extensive mining potential also represents an important opportunity for economic growth, industrial development and regional economic partnership. Systematic and professional management of the mining sector, together with the development of processing and refining capacities within the country alongside extraction, can play an important role in increasing production, employment, exports and government revenues. We want to utilize the potential of natural resources not merely for exporting raw materials, but for strengthening manufacturing and processing industries.
Distinguished participants,
Afghanistan is not seeking stability only within its own economy; we want to connect our economy more closely with the economies of the region.
Afghanistan’s geographical location provides us with the opportunity to become an important point of connectivity between Central and South Asia, China, Russia, the Middle East and other markets. The development of railways, energy, transit, trade corridors and regional connectivity projects is not merely an economic issue for us; it is also a means of ensuring long-term stability and common interests in the region.
We view initiatives such as TAPI, TAP, CASA-1000, the Trans-Afghan railway and other regional projects from this perspective. In our view, Afghanistan should not be a field of regional competition, but a point of connectivity for regional cooperation.
Therefore, we seek to expand economic relations with all countries, and we do not define the economic relations of one country against another. Afghanistan wants to connect with all routes that create economic opportunities for the country and the region.
Our latest trade figures also show that Afghanistan’s economic relations with various countries of the region have expanded.
This demonstrates an important feature of our foreign economic policy: Afghanistan wants to diversify its trade and economic relations rather than remain dependent on a single country or a single economic route.
Distinguished participants,
Regarding Afghanistan’s foreign policy, I would like to say that Afghanistan does not pursue a policy of closed doors. Our policy is based on open doors, balanced engagement, mutual respect, economic cooperation and the expansion of relations on the basis of common interests.
We do not define the expansion of relations with any country against another country. We do not want Afghanistan to become part of a zero-sum game of international and regional competition.
Our objective is to engage with all countries, define common interests with all, manage areas of disagreement through dialogue and diplomacy, and expand the scope of cooperation in areas of common interest.
On this basis, we hope to expand our political and economic engagement beyond the region with Europe, Asia, the Middle East and other countries of the world. We believe that engagement with Afghanistan is the most practical and effective means of resolving all issues.
In this regard, the announcement by the Russian Federation of its recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was an important development. We consider this step important not only within the framework of bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Russia, but also for the expansion of regional engagement, and we hope that other countries will also follow the policy of the Russian Federation so that the process of practical cooperation among the countries of the region becomes more formalized and expanded.
Distinguished representatives,
If we define Afghanistan’s future solely from the perspective of security, we will overlook a major part of Afghanistan’s potential. Afghanistan has very good opportunities.
We have opportunities for energy transmission, opportunities for regional trade, opportunities for transit, opportunities in mining and natural resources, opportunities in agriculture and exports, and, most importantly, the opportunity to emerge as a country that serves as a means of connectivity between Central and South Asia and other parts of the region.
The time has now come for Afghanistan to be recognized by others as a responsible partner for common interests. The time has come to move from the concept of “managing the problem” of Afghanistan towards “creating opportunities.”
We call on countries outside the region to formulate their policies toward Afghanistan on the basis of realities on the ground, direct engagement and mutual interests. Any issue concerning Afghanistan should be addressed through direct diplomatic engagement rather than pressure and isolation.
Afghanistan wants to play its role as a responsible partner in the future of the region. We believe that stability in Afghanistan is not only in the interest of Afghans, but also in the interest of Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, China, Russia and the world as a whole.
Thank you for your attention.
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
