KUALA LUMPUR: Uzbekistan has offered Malaysian aid agencies the use of facilities at its International Hub for Humanitarian Assistance, to deliver humanitarian aid to the war-torn neighbouring Afghanistan.
Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Malaysia Ravshan Usmanov explained that the international hub has all the necessary infrastructure – an international airport, a river port, a railway and highways connecting with Afghanistan as well as a one-of-a-kind large logistics terminal “Termez Cargo Centre”, located in close proximity to the Afghan border and equipped with the most modern technology and equipment.
In an interview with Bernama, the ambassador said that Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Thursday had signed a resolution, according to which Termez Cargo Centre logistics terminal in Surkhandarya region near to the Afghanistan border has been given the status of an International Multifunctional Transport and Logistics Hub for Humanitarian Assistance.
“We propose (to the international community) to coordinate joint humanitarian efforts through the International Multifunctional Transport and Logistics Hub in Termez for the supply of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Uzbekistan also can offer food and all essentials (to aid agencies) for a reasonable price. It will be a cheaper and faster way to provide humanitarian aid to the Afghan people” he said.
“We firmly believe that such infrastructure and humanitarian projects will act as a catalyst for the restoration of stability in Afghanistan,” he pointed out.
Usmanov further said that the matter was recently discussed during a meeting between the embassy and Datuk Ahmad Azam Ab Rahman , Malaysia’s Foreign Minister’s special adviser on Afghanistan.
According to the ambassador, the leadership of the United Nations, other leading international organisations and many states support Uzbekistan’s efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan using the available opportunities in Termez.
Usmanov said the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) regularly sends humanitarian supplies from Termez to Afghanistan. According to the WFP, from November 2021 to date, about 42,000 tonnes of food products have been sent through Termez to Afghanistan.
He pointed out that Uzbekistan has provided all possible assistance to the people of Afghanistan where in September and December 2021, it delivered two large humanitarian cargoes with a total volume of more than 5,000 tonnes through Termez.
On April 30, 2022, it delivered about 4,000 tonnes of humanitarian cargo to the people of Afghanistan. All this humanitarian aid comprised food, medicine, clothing, textile products, wheat and coal.
“The most important thing is that this (the hub) will make it possible to promptly deliver essential goods to the people of Afghanistan and, thus, provide effective assistance to the Afghan people in overcoming their humanitarian crisis,” Usmanov said.-Bernama
