A new proposal by the “New Lines Institute” called “Silk S7+” has been introduced to the US Congress to strengthen economic and trade cooperation among Central Asian countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan.
The plan, presented on Monday, April 20, aims to create new trade and transit routes between these countries and global markets, including Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia.
Another goal of the proposal is to reduce these countries’ dependence on major powers such as China and Russia and to establish an “alternative economic option.”
In this plan, Afghanistan is viewed mainly as a transit and connecting country in the region, rather than just a country facing a crisis.
The United States and some Western policymakers support the idea and see it as part of geopolitical competition in the region.
The main focus of the plan is cooperation in areas such as energy, water, infrastructure, and trade.
This is an economic and geopolitical initiative that seeks to integrate Central Asia and the surrounding regions into a more unified trade network and reduce China’s influence in the region.
