Asian leaders attend regional summit, pledge to help Afghanistan

The leaders of several Asian countries pledged to provide assistance to Afghanistan during a summit in Turkmenistan on Sunday.

The countries, which are part of the 10-member Economic Cooperation Organization that includes Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and six former Soviet nations, called for the removal of trade barriers and the development of new transport corridors across the region, VOA reported.

The Asian nations also pledged to help stabilize Afghanistan.

Speaking at the summit, Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi said the Islamic world needs to pool efforts to help avert a “catastrophe that could foment chaos and conflict.”

He said countries in the region need to move quickly to help rebuild the Afghan economy, shore up the country’s health care and education systems and offer humanitarian assistance, VOA reported.

Alvi also stated that a stable Afghanistan would allow the implementation of long-stalled infrastructure projects, including a gas pipeline, railways and power grids linking countries in the region.

Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said that these projects would help offer “colossal cooperation prospects and help attract foreign investment,” which would strongly benefit Afghanistan and its neighbors.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that Afghanistan’s economic meltdown could trigger a massive refugee exodus that would affect the entire region.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi also offered help, saying that Afghanistan desperately needs food, fuel and financial assistance as winter sets in.