Uzbekistan Weighs Military-Technical Cooperation With Taliban

DID Press: Uzbekistan is reviewing the possibility of launching military–technical cooperation with Afghanistan under Taliban administration, according to a draft presidential decree outlining the country’s strategic planning through 2030.

The draft, signed by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and published on the country’s official legal portal, stresses the need to strengthen cooperation among Central Asian states, including Afghanistan, and calls for an assessment of potential military–technical engagement with Kabul.

Under the proposed plan, a detailed framework for such cooperation with Afghanistan is to be prepared by June 2026 and submitted to Uzbekistan’s Security Council, which operates under the president’s authority, for review and approval.

The document further states that the Uzbek Foreign Ministry would be tasked, in September 2026, with formally presenting a cooperation proposal to the Taliban government. If Kabul responds positively, subsequent practical steps would then be initiated.

Despite these developments, Uzbekistan—like most countries, with the exception of Russia—has not formally recognized the Taliban government. Nonetheless, Tashkent has expanded diplomatic contacts and economic cooperation with the group in recent years.