Fourth Ministerial Conference Of Afghanistan’s Neighboring Countries: Hopes And Challenges – OpEd
On April 13, Samarkand hosted the fourth ministerial conference of Afghan neighbouring countries which included Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took part in the event. The Neighbouring Countries of Afghanistan mechanism was established in 2021 on Pakistan’s initiative with a view to evolving a regional approach on situation in Afghanistan. Pakistan hosted the first meeting of Foreign Ministers of neighbouring countries on 8 September 2021.
One of the key issues that was discussed at the conference is the security situation in Afghanistan, including the production and trafficking of illegal drugs such as opium and heroin. Afghanistan is one of the world’s largest producers of these drugs, and the trade in narcotics has been a major source of funding for terrorist groups operating in the region.
The participants of the conference also efforts to promote stability and economic development in Afghanistan and the wider region. Other issues such as regional cooperation, trade, transportation, and energy, as well as efforts to combat extremism and terrorism also dominated the discussion during the round table meeting.
This meeting is a positive move in the direction of interaction with key stakeholders in Afghan conflict to resolve issue of terrorism which has direct bearing on all the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan. It is also responsibility of incumbent Afghan government that it must realize that a secure and stable Afghanistan is advantageous to entire region therefore it must cooperate with bordering countries to ensure peace and security.
Success of any regional or international effort to mitigate current situation of Afghanistan will remain subject to Taliban government’s seriousness towards practical steps.
Afghan Taliban must ensure that their soil must not be used against any country. The issue of the Taliban’s commitment to preventing their territory from being used as a safe haven for terrorist activities was discussed at the meeting and Afghan Taliban government needs to work proactively to curb this issue.
The Taliban have made public statements about their commitment to preventing terrorist activities from being carried out on Afghan soil and have engaged in talks with international partners, including US, on issues related to counterterrorism and the future of Afghanistan. However, there are concerns about the ability of the Taliban to enforce these commitments, particularly given the group’s history of providing safe haven to terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda. It is important that the international community, including Afghan neighboring countries, continue to engage with the Taliban and monitor their actions to ensure that they uphold their commitments to prevent their territory from being used as a base for terrorist activities. It is also important for regional cooperation and coordination to effectively address this issue and promote stability and security in the region.
The issue of establishing an inclusive political structure in Afghanistan is an important and ongoing challenge in Afghanistan political landscape. In the past, the Taliban have been engaged in peace negotiations with Ghani government, but there are concerns about the inclusivity of any resulting political structure. It will be important for the Taliban to engage with other political groups and civil society organizations to ensure that any future government is representative of the diversity of the Afghan population.
International partners, including Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, can play an important role in supporting efforts to establish an inclusive political structure in Afghanistan. This could involve providing political and diplomatic support for peace negotiations, as well as assistance with governance and institution-building efforts. Ultimately, the success of efforts to establish an inclusive political structure in Afghanistan will depend on the willingness of all parties to engage in constructive dialogue and work towards a shared vision for the future of the country.
There are concerns about the Taliban’s approach to governance, particularly with regards to issues such as women’s rights, freedom of speech, and minority rights. The international community, including Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, has called on the Taliban to adopt more moderate policies and to respect the rights of all Afghans.
In terms of foreign policy, the Taliban have historically been hostile to neighboring countries and have harbored terrorist groups that have carried out attacks in the region. It will be important for the Taliban to adopt a more cooperative approach to regional relations and to work towards building trust with neighboring countries. Ultimately, the success of any efforts to promote more moderate policies by the Taliban will depend on the willingness of the group to engage in constructive dialogue and to work towards a more inclusive and stable future for Afghanistan and the wider region.
The issue of safeguarding the basic rights of all Afghans, including ethnic groups, women, and children, is a critical concern for international community and civil society as well. The Taliban’s previous rule in Afghanistan was marked by severe restrictions on the rights of women and minority groups, including ethnic and religious minorities. The international community, including Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, has called on the Taliban to respect the rights of all Afghans and to ensure that their government upholds basic human rights and freedoms.
It will be important for the Taliban to demonstrate a commitment to protecting the rights of all Afghans, including women and minority groups, and to work towards building a more inclusive and tolerant society. The international community can support these efforts by providing political and diplomatic support, as well as assistance with capacity-building and institution-building efforts. Ultimately, the success of efforts to safeguard the basic rights of all Afghans will depend on the willingness of the Taliban to engage in constructive dialogue and to work towards a more inclusive and stable future for Afghanistan and the wider region. Afghan authorities should take visible steps to ensure that Afghanistan would never again serve as a breeding ground, safe haven or source of proliferation for terrorism.
Pakistan has done a lot for the people of Afghanistan. Pakistan has long had concerns about the use of Afghan soil by terrorist groups to carry out attacks within Pakistan, and the country has called on the Taliban to prevent such activities from taking place. If the Taliban can demonstrate a commitment to preventing their territory from being used against Pakistan, it could help to strengthen the relationship between the two countries and promote regional stability and security.
It will be important for the Taliban to engage in constructive dialogue with Pakistan and to demonstrate a willingness to work towards a shared vision for the future of the region. This could involve measures such as increased cooperation on border security, counterterrorism efforts, and economic development. Pakistan will continue to support all efforts to advance the shared objective of a peaceful, stable, sovereign, prosperous and connected Afghanistan.