Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and the Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi attended the 5th China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue in Islamabad and stressed the need for peace, security, and economic development of the region.
In a statement released on May 8, the three sides stressed that a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan serves the common interest of the region – underscoring the critical importance of trilateral cooperation in promoting this objective. The three sides resolved to further deepen and expand their cooperation in the security, development and political domains based on the principles of mutual respect, equal-footed consultation and mutual benefit.
The foreign ministers emphasized on the need to not allow any individual, group, or party, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) or other terrorist groups to use their territories to threaten regional security.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, the three sides reiterated the importance of sustained humanitarian support to the people of Afghanistan.
The three sides reaffirmed their resolve to fully harness Afghanistan’s potential as a hub for regional connectivity. Reaffirming their commitment to further the trilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and to jointly extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan.
Furthermore, it was agreed to generate economic activity within Afghanistan and explore realistic pathways toward the revival of the Afghan economy. Exploring trilateral investment possibilities aimed at creating employment opportunities was considered essential.
The three sides reaffirmed continued cooperation in areas of mutual interest like economic development, capacity building, and improving livelihoods. The Ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation in the areas such as agriculture, trade, energy, capacity building, border management and more.
It was also discussed that the Afghan interim government should respect and protect women’s rights and interests – calling on the international community to support the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan.
The Ministers appreciated Pakistan for the generous hospitality in hosting millions of Afghan refugees and called on the international community to provide necessary support and assistance to these countries and Afghanistan for the dignified return and reintegration of refugees into Afghan society.
The three sides agreed to continue with the trilateral cooperation mechanism, including the Director-General Level Practical Cooperation Dialogue and forged closer neighborly relations and partnerships.
