Afghanistan on the Agenda. Afghans off the Guest List? Two days discussing Afghanistan in Oslo. Uzbek officials named. Norwegian counterparts acknowledged. Not a single Afghan participant identified. Were any Afghans invited? If not, why not? Our country is treated as a security problem to manage, a market to supply and a corridor to cross, while our people struggle to be heard. The stakes are painfully real, over 21 million Afghans need humanitarian assistance this year. Over two million girls remain excluded from secondary education. Where do they feature in this “pragmatic” agenda? Uzbekistan has every right to pursue trade and protect its borders. But commercial interests should face scrutiny when presented as peacebuilding. Of the reported $1.6 billion in bilateral trade in 2025, roughly 94% consisted of Uzbek exports to Afghanistan. What has this growing relationship delivered for Afghan livelihoods and what influence has Tashkent used to defend Afghan rights? NOREF and the Norwegian participants also owe answers. Who brought the concerns of Afghan women, journalists, teachers and struggling families into the room? Who challenged the assumption that greater regional connectivity will, by itself, produce lasting peace? The public account mentions security, trade, energy and transit. It says nothing about rights, representation or accountability. Were these priorities raised, or were they inconvenient to the conversation? This echoes a familiar pattern from the 1990s. Outsiders discussing their interests in Afghanistan while Afghans bear the costs. Our borders can open to commerce while our classrooms remain closed to girls. Dialogue has value. But another meeting, another photograph and another promise to meet again are not evidence of progress. Which commitments emerged? Who will follow them up? How will ordinary Afghans benefit? Before calling this a “promising start,” tell us: promising for whom? @NOREFno @president_uz @uwedofficial @IICAinTashkent @EUSEAfghanistan