Uzbek media outlets report that Oybek Usmanov has been appointed Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan.
According to Uzbekistan Daily, Mr. Usmanov arrived in Kabul on Monday, October 28 and has begun his official duties.
Usmanov reportedly succeeds Yodgorkhoja Shadmanov, who had served as Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan since 2012.
Prior to this, Usmanov served as Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Pakistan from 2020 until this year and has also served as Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Egypt. He has worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan since 1998.
This appointment follows Uzbekistan’s move in February to transfer Afghanistan’s Embassy in Tashkent to the Taliban’s representatives, highlighting Uzbekistan’s close diplomatic and trade ties with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Uzbekistan has been one of Central Asia’s nations actively engaging with the Taliban on regional security and economic collaboration.
In Uzbekistan, the Taliban were not included in the 2016 list of 22 terrorist organizations banned by the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan. After the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, official Tashkent opened the Uzbek-Afghan border for the delivery of essential goods and humanitarian aid.
In August this year, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Oripov went to Kabul, marking the highest-level visit by a foreign government official since the Taliban took power in Kabul three years ago. During the visit, Uzbek and Taliban officials reportedly signed investment and trade deals worth about US$2.5 billion in the energy, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors.
