KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The heads of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) have called for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan that represents all citizens and upholds human rights.
In a joint statement issued after a two-day meeting in Hungary, the leaders also urged for stronger and more decisive action to combat terrorism in Afghanistan. They emphasized that Afghan territory should not be used to threaten other countries.
Established in 2009 and renamed OTS in 2021, the Istanbul-based organization includes Turkic-speaking nations such as Turkey, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, with Hungary and Turkmenistan as observers. The organization focuses on promoting regional peace, stability, economic cooperation, and cultural heritage.
In their statement, the heads of OTS acknowledged some progress in countering narcotics in Afghanistan but stressed the need for greater efforts to curb the production, trade, and trafficking of drugs in the country.
The leaders expressed serious concern over Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis and urged the international community to provide urgent and continuous support to address the immediate needs of the Afghan people.
They emphasized the importance of a coherent, coordinated, and structured international engagement with Afghanistan, based on a performance-driven roadmap leading to peace within the country, its neighbors, and the broader region.
Afghanistan remains largely isolated under Taliban rule, with no country formally recognizing its government. This isolation is driven by concerns over the lack of an inclusive political structure, continued human rights abuses—especially against women and girls—and the group’s ties to extremist groups.
For nearly four years, global powers and regional actors have repeatedly urged the Taliban to uphold human rights, cut ties with terrorist groups, and form a government that reflects Afghanistan’s ethnic and political diversity.
The Taliban, however, continues to reject these demands, accusing foreign actors of interfering in domestic affairs. Taliban officials claim their administration is inclusive, deny the presence of terrorist groups, and claims to protect human rights according to its interpretation of Islamic law.
