Toqayev Appoints Special Representative for Afghanistan

Yerkin Tukumov has been appointed to this position, reports Orda.kz.

Tukumov was born in Uzbekistan and has an extensive background in policy analysis and diplomacy. He began his career at the Kazakhstan Institute of Strategic Studies under the President, eventually rising to the position of director.

He also spent eight years leading the Security Council’s analytical department and previously served as Kazakhstan’s Consul General in Kazan.

In September 2024, President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev dismissed Alimkhan Yesengeldiyev from his role as ambassador to Afghanistan. Yesengeldiyev was the first Kazakh diplomat to formally engage with the Taliban, holding talks in Kabul in 2021 with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi after the group came to power.

Since that time, Kazakhstan has developed strong trade and economic relations with Afghanistan.

In early 2024, Kazakhstan removed the Taliban from its national list of banned organizations, aligning the decision with United Nations practices. Nonetheless, the group remains classified as a terrorist organization in many countries.

Plans have also been announced to establish a regional center for sustainable development goals in Almaty, focused on cooperation with Central Asia and Afghanistan.

Original Author: Zarina Fayzulina