KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs have called for more “visible and verifiable” measures in Afghanistan to ensure that the country is not used by terrorists.
Following their meeting in Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, on Monday, June 10, the BRICS foreign ministers called for an “urgent peaceful settlement” in Afghanistan to bolster regional security and stability, according to a joint statement shared by the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
“The Ministers emphasized the need for an urgent peaceful settlement in Afghanistan in order to strengthen regional security and stability,” the statement reads. “They advocated for Afghanistan as an independent, united and peaceful state free from terrorism, war and drugs,” it added.
The BRICS foreign ministers also stressed the importance of delivering immediate and uninterrupted humanitarian aid to the Afghan populace and protecting the fundamental rights of all Afghans, including women, girls, and ethnic minorities.
The BRICS group, established in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, as an intergovernmental organization, welcomed South Africa into the bloc a year later. Last year, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia also became members of the group.
The Monday meeting marked the first ministerial gathering following the BRICS expansion in 2023. During the meeting, they discussed major global and regional trends and issues, including the combat against terrorism in all its “forms and manifestations.”
The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan has sparked security fears among regional countries and the wider world. These concerns arise from the potential resurgence of terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda, ISIS, the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), and others, which could significantly destabilize the region.
In recent years, regional countries have repeatedly expressed concern about the presence and growing capabilities of international terrorist groups in Afghanistan. They have urged the regime in power not to allow the country to become a safe haven for terrorism.
Recently, Rustam Emomali, the speaker of Tajikistan’s parliament and son of President Emomali Rahmon, said that Afghanistan has once again become a breeding ground for international terrorist groups.
The Tajik senior official highlighted that over 1,000 religious madrassas have been established in Afghanistan in recent years, predominantly in the northern provinces. He claimed that these madrassas also train suicide bombers, potentially posing long-term negative consequences for the region.
The Taliban, however, has repeatedly denied the presence of international terrorist groups in Afghanistan and their ties with them. They claim to have eradicated ISIS and assert that Afghanistan’s territory poses no threat to any regional country.
