Dushanbe is hosting the 9th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) that will take place here on March 30.

The Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process is an initiative of Afghanistan and Turkey, which was officially launched at a conference hosted by Turkey in Istanbul on November 2, 2011.  Since then, Afghanistan supported by fourteen Participating Countries of the Heart of Asia Region and 16 Supporting Countries beyond the region as well as 12 Regional and International Organizations is leading and coordinating this Process.  It is a platform for promoting regional security, economic and political cooperation centered on Afghanistan through dialogue and a set of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs).

The Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process aims at promoting and strengthening peace, security, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan and in the region through confidence building and enhancing regional cooperation among 15 countries of the Heart of Asia Region.  The HoA-IP has become one of the most interactive voluntary state-groupings in the HoA Region.

It brings Afghanistan's immediate and extended neighbors as well as international supporters together through the following focus areas: 1) political consultations; 2) implementation of the CBMs; and 3) cooperation with regional organizations.