A quadrilateral platform aimed at enhancing regional connectivity has been announced by the Biden administration. Along with USA, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan have agreed to create it in principle. The parties agree that long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan is critical for regional connectivity, and that peace and regional connectivity are mutually reinforcing, the State Department said on Friday.
The Quad group, realizing the historic opportunity to open flourishing inter-regional trade routes, said they intend to cooperate to expand trade, build transit links and strengthen business-to-business ties. ‘The parties agreed to meet in the coming months to determine how this cooperation will work with mutual consent,’ the State Department said.
The strategic location of Afghanistan has long been touted as a competitive advantage. Pakistan borders Afghanistan on the east and south, Iran on the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on the north, and China on the northeast. Afghanistan was long the crossroads of commerce between Asian countries connecting them to Europe, while enhancing religious, cultural and commercial contacts.
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China’s desire to extend its Belt Road Initiative (BRI) to Afghanistan underpins the formation of the new quad group. Xi Jinping launched the BRI, a multibillion-dollar initiative, when he came to power in 2013, with the aim of connecting Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe. Afghanistan can be a strategic base for China to spread its influence across the world due to its location. Since the announcement of the withdrawal of U.S. forces on August 31, violence has been rising, and efforts to broker a peace settlement between the Afghan government and insurgent Taliban have slowed.
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