Termez, the southern gateway to Uzbekistan, has made history by hosting the first-ever Termez Dialogue, focusing on the growing connections between Central and South Asia.
Over 200 representatives from foreign ministries, along with heads of international and regional organizations, gathered for this large-scale forum. For more, here’s with the details.
As-live: South Asia is currently the fastest-growing region in the world. In 2024, its total GDP hit $4.9 trillion, making up 4.5% of the global economy. But despite this growth, trade and economic ties between Central and South Asia are still relatively low, with only about $5 billion in trade. For comparison, Central Asia’s trade with the European Union is over 55 billion dollars. These numbers show just how much potential there is for greater cooperation, even if it has not been fully realized yet.
To take cooperation to the next level, forum participants proposed several measures: streamlining customs and logistics, expanding transport corridors, modernizing energy infrastructure, and speeding up the use of digital solutions.
A key focus was the Trans-Afghan Transport Corridor project, which will connect Central Asia to the ports of the Indian Ocean via the shortest route through Afghanistan and Pakistan. This will not only give landlocked Central Asian countries access to global trade but also integrate them into international supply chains. Traffic along this route has already more than doubled: from 1.8 million tons in 2021 to 4 million tons in 2024, with Uzbekistan playing a central role in the transit.
The choice of Termez as the forum venue is no accident. Located at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, Termez has long been a hub for regional connections and a center for cultural, civilizational, and religious dialogue. People from Pakistan and Afghanistan can now stay in the city for up to 15 days without a visa, helping to boost trade and exports from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other countries in the region.
Experts believe that the Termez Dialogue is more than just a one-time event. The forum is expected to lead to a joint communique, signaling the commitment of both Central and South Asian countries to build trust, expand trade, and tackle shared challenges together. This document could become a roadmap for future actions, from regular expert meetings to tracking the progress of key infrastructure projects.
The EU and UK unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow oil fleet and financial networks, acting independently of the US after talks failed to yield a Ukraine ceasefire.
The EU plans to charge a new €2 fee on billions of small packages, mostly from China, challenging online retailers like Temu and Shein.
Kazakhstan is boosting support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to attract European investment and accelerate economic growth.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts for being "overly rude" during Prime Minister’s Questions last week.
China announced a $500 million contribution to the WHO over five years, stepping in as the UN agency faces a funding shortfall after the U.S. cut support.
The EU and UK unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow oil fleet and financial networks, acting independently of the US after talks failed to yield a Ukraine ceasefire.
The EU plans to charge a new €2 fee on billions of small packages, mostly from China, challenging online retailers like Temu and Shein.
Kazakhstan is boosting support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to attract European investment and accelerate economic growth.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts for being "overly rude" during Prime Minister’s Questions last week.
China announced a $500 million contribution to the WHO over five years, stepping in as the UN agency faces a funding shortfall after the U.S. cut support.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, following the release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet behind closed doors at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace at 10:00 local time today to explore security guarantees, territorial integrity and a possible ceasefire.
EU approves 17th Russia sanctions, blacklisting almost 200 shadow‑fleet ships, 30 evasion firms and 75 defence figures, banning missile chemicals and arming Brussels to strike Kremlin hybrid and operations.
The EU and UK unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow oil fleet and financial networks, acting independently of the US after talks failed to yield a Ukraine ceasefire.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts for being "overly rude" during Prime Minister’s Questions last week.
China announced a $500 million contribution to the WHO over five years, stepping in as the UN agency faces a funding shortfall after the U.S. cut support.
Spain has been hit by a major mobile network outage just weeks after a massive power blackout disrupted the country. The outage, reportedly caused by network upgrades from telecom provider Telefónica, affected emergency phone services and landline communication in multiple regions.
Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir has been promoted to the ceremonial rank of field marshal, the first such promotion in nearly 60 years.
The EU and UK unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow oil fleet and financial networks, acting independently of the US after talks failed to yield a Ukraine ceasefire.
The EU plans to charge a new €2 fee on billions of small packages, mostly from China, challenging online retailers like Temu and Shein.
Kazakhstan is boosting support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to attract European investment and accelerate economic growth.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts for being "overly rude" during Prime Minister’s Questions last week.
China announced a $500 million contribution to the WHO over five years, stepping in as the UN agency faces a funding shortfall after the U.S. cut support.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment