Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) November 14,2026 Tashkent – Uzbekistan’s Special Representative of the President for Afghanistan, Ismatulla Irgashev, held official talks in Tashkent with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Uzbekistan, Matthias Kende, regarding current developments in Afghanistan and bilateral cooperation on Afghan-related matters. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Ambassador Kende commended Tashkent’s initiatives to foster a consolidated regional position towards Afghanistan. Both sides described the discussions as constructive and reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing practical dialogue between Tashkent and Brussels.
High-Level Diplomatic Consultations in Tashkent
The meeting between Ismatulla Irgashev and Matthias Kende took place in the Uzbek capital on 12 November 2026, according to official statements issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan and reported by the state information agency Dunyo. During the session, the two officials exchanged assessments of the evolving political, security, and humanitarian conditions inside Afghanistan, alongside reviewing specific avenues for bilateral coordination on the Afghan track.
Reports from UzDaily and Ariana News noted that the diplomatic exchange centred on aligning international and regional approaches to neighbouring Afghanistan. According to the Foreign Ministry’s readout, the negotiations took place in a constructive atmosphere, with both Tashkent and Brussels expressing mutual interest in maintaining and expanding practical working contacts on issues concerning Central and South Asia.
Belgian Recognition of Uzbekistan’s Regional Diplomacy
A central focus of the Tashkent discussions was Uzbekistan’s ongoing diplomatic outreach aimed at establishing a unified regional stance on Afghanistan. During the talks, Ambassador Matthias Kende expressed high appreciation for Uzbekistan’s efforts to develop a consolidated regional position regarding the country.
Regional media outlets, including Afghanistan International, reported on 14 November 2026 that the Belgian envoy’s remarks reflected broader European attention to Tashkent’s role as an interlocutor in Central Asia. In recent years, Uzbekistan has positioned itself as an active participant in regional engagement concerning Afghanistan, maintaining working channels with authorities in Kabul while coordinating with neighbouring states and European partners.
Official statements following the 12 November meeting confirmed that both parties viewed continued communication between Uzbekistan and Belgium as instrumental to supporting coordinated international engagement. The two representatives underscored their readiness to deepen practical dialogue between Tashkent and Brussels across diplomatic tracks linked to regional stability.
Institutional Context of Uzbekistan–Belgium Diplomatic Relations
Establishment of the Resident Belgian Embassy in Tashkent
The talks between Irgashev and Kende occurred two months after a significant institutional upgrade in diplomatic relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kingdom of Belgium. On 10 September 2026, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakhtiyor Saidov, received copies of credentials from Ambassador Matthias Kende in Tashkent.
According to records from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan and Belgium’s Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Kende’s appointment coincided with the opening of Belgium’s first resident embassy in Tashkent in 2026. Prior to the establishment of the resident mission in Uzbekistan, diplomatic representation for Tashkent had been managed through the Embassy of Belgium in Astana, Kazakhstan, where Erik De Maeyer had been accredited as non-resident ambassador in January 2026 following his predecessor Henri Vantieghem.
At the credential presentation ceremony in September 2026, Foreign Minister Saidov stated that the opening of the Belgian Embassy in Tashkent marked an important milestone in the development of bilateral ties. Uzbekistan and Belgium originally established formal diplomatic relations on 16 March 1992.
Expansion of Bilateral Engagements Across Sectors
Since assuming his post as Belgium’s first resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Uzbekistan, Matthias Kende has held a series of consultations with Uzbek government institutions and academic bodies. On 12 September 2026, Kende met with the Rector of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent to review the state of bilateral relations and educational exchanges. Later that month, on 22 September 2026, the Belgian envoy held talks with Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee regarding air connectivity and joint initiatives ahead of international tourism exhibitions scheduled for November 2026.
Belgium’s Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs also updated consular arrangements for Uzbekistan in 2026 as part of its administrative transition. While the resident embassy in Tashkent assumed direct diplomatic duties from the mission in Astana, short-term Schengen visa processing for residents of Uzbekistan transitioned to the Embassy of Hungary in Tashkent on 1 March 2026, with long-term national visas handled via the Consulate General of Belgium in Istanbul.
Broader Context of Uzbekistan’s Engagement on the Afghan Track
Regional Mediation and Multilateral Consultations in 2026
Special Representative Ismatulla Irgashev has led a continuous series of diplomatic consultations throughout 2026 aimed at coordinating regional and international policies toward Afghanistan. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Tashkent’s policy framework links domestic stability in Afghanistan with broader regional security, transit infrastructure, and economic integration across Central and South Asia.
In early 2026, following heightened tensions between authorities in Kabul and Islamabad, Uzbekistan hosted an informal meeting between representatives of both sides in the southern Uzbek border city of Termez. According to reporting by Afghanistan International, the Termez dialogue was organised at the request of the Uzbek government and conducted with Tashkent’s mediation.
Irgashev has also maintained regular bilateral and multilateral contacts with regional envoys and international organisations:
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Multilateral Regional Formats: In early October 2026, Irgashev met in Moscow with Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq Khan, ahead of the Moscow Format consultations on Afghanistan. Those discussions focused on regional dialogue, peace, and stability among neighbouring states.
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Bilateral Diplomatic Channels: On 17 September 2026, Irgashev held consultations in Tashkent with Pakistan’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Muhammad Mudassir Tipu, to address bilateral cooperation on regional security and Afghan affairs.
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United Nations Agencies: On 10 June 2026, the Uzbek presidential envoy met with Mahir Safarli, Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for Central Asia, to review humanitarian assistance programmes and refugee support mechanisms.
Economic Connectivity and Trade Cooperation
Alongside diplomatic coordination, Uzbekistan has maintained economic, energy, and trade ties with Afghanistan. Reports and economic studies covering the period through 2026 document that Tashkent’s engagement encompasses cross-border trade facilitation, electricity supplies, logistics corridors, and the export of agricultural inputs, petroleum products, wheat flour, and construction materials.
Uzbekistan views transport connectivity through Afghanistan as a strategic pathway linking landlocked Central Asian states to international seaports and South Asian markets. Concurrently, Uzbek officials have engaged with European Union representatives—including consultations between Uzbekistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister and the EU Ambassador in Tashkent on 3 November 2026—to align regional connectivity projects and humanitarian initiatives with European partners.
The 12 November 2026 meeting between Ismatulla Irgashev and Ambassador Matthias Kende adds a bilateral Belgian dimension to Tashkent’s ongoing consultations with European Union member states regarding Afghanistan’s stability and regional cooperation.
