Experts against quick-fix Afghan exit strategy

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Rs 795

What is most important about Afghanistan In Transition: Beyond 2014?, is that it is the first edited book presenting perceptions of the Afghan mind, through papers written by distinguished Afghans with a rich mix of academic, political and media backgrounds.

With the drawdown of international forces scheduled for 2014, Afghanistan is in for yet another phase of uncertainties. While the international community is perplexed by the complexities of an effective inteqal (transition) and by the modalities that are so far being worked at for ensuring it, this book brings together varied Afghan voices to set the agenda, address critical gaps in the ongoing inteqal process, and suggests alternate course of action by setting a forward-looking agenda, beyond 2014. The strength of this volume stems from the rich contributions by experts, providing an in-depth analysis of the perceptions, needs and preparedness on the ground.
The common thread that runs through all the chapters of the book is that the inteqal process needs to be Afghan-led and Afghan- owned. This book provides diverse perspectives of the Afghans by taking a realistic assessment of the achievements and challenges in building local capacities and institutions in key sectors — security, political, governance and economic — as these would form the basis of future progress. By delving into a range of complex interrelated issues such as security and political sector reform; peace processes-reconciliation and reintegration; economic opportunities-investment, trade and connectivity; civilian aid coordination and effectiveness; strategic communication; status, welfare and role of women; international and non-governmental organisations, both from micro and macro perspectives, this volume highlights several critical components of the inteqal process that need immediate and sustained attention. Chapters on regional perspectives, including one on India’s engagement and one on Pakistan’s perspective as well as the US perspective provide important insights into the role of external players in the present imbroglio. This book is a valuable and timely contribution to the academic and policy discourse on the prospects of effective transition and long-term stabilisation of Afghanistan.
Edited by Dr Shanthie Mariet D’Souza and published by Pentagon Press and the Institute Of South Asian Studies, Singapore, the book was launched in New Delhi, on 26 February 2013 by Mr Satinder K. Lambah, former ambassador to Afghanistan/expert on it and currently special envoy, PMO, in the presence of Mr M. Ashraf Haidari, Deputy chief of mission/minister counsellor, embassy of Afghanistan, New Delhi (formerly chargé d’affaires/political counsellor, embassy of Afghanistan in Washington) and a select gathering. The launch was followed by a panel discussion featuring former ambassadors C.R. Gharekhan and I.P. Khosla, Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal, Mr Rana Banerji, Prof. Bharat Karnad and Mr Shakti Sinha and chaired by commodore C. Uday Bhaskar.
India, as a historic friend of Afghanistan, has major concerns about the post-2014 security of that nation as well as of Indians stationed there for the process of reconstruction and assistance, a number of who were killed in many attacks by Pakistani jihadis.
Delivering the keynote address at the book launch, Mr Lambah stressed that the international community should bear in mind “some guiding principles which include that any process leading to a settlement must be Afghan-owned and Afghan-led.
This, in recent past, has not been the case as other countries are often driving the pace of the process.
The process must not sacrifice the gains of the last decade, the emphasis on reconstruction should continue. The red lines approved in earlier international conferences should be observed. Nothing should be done in sudden haste as reversal of trends on security transmission demonstrated in Tokyo, Chicago, London and Kabul conferences could be seen as an act of desperation by the adversaries of Afghan-istan… There must be serious attempts at internal consensus building within different constituencies in Afghanistan so that the ethnic division is not deepened leading to polarisation, he said. “The growing political competition, natural or on the eve of the elections, should not overshadow the election process. No outside interference and elimination of sanctions,” Mr Lambah said. He also emphasised on the strong ties which Delhi and Kabul share, elaborating that India has a close strategic partnership with Afghanistan that covers a broad spectrum of areas which include political and security cooperation, trade and economic cooperation, capacity development and education and social, cultural and people-to-people ties. “The cumulative level of committed Indian assistance to Afghanistan amounts to $2 billion. Indo-Afghan relations are unique. In October 2011, India was the first country with which Afghanistan signed a strategic partnership agreement,” Mr Lambah added.
Echoing similar sentiments, Mr Haidari said the transition is “not a linear” process and the international community should not take a “quick-fix exit strategy”. “As our international partners falter, our collective gains can be easily reversed and undone, this is an option we have once experienced in Afghanistan and can no longer afford… Indeed the way should be consolidating and sustaining what has been achieved in Afghanistan and this endeavour should be spearheaded by Afghans and supported by the international community. It should define transition of military and civil responsibilities to the Afghan government… In holistic sense, transition is by no means, a linear process, at most portrayed to be and certainly not a quick-fix exit strategy.” The deputy chief of mission also applauded India’s role in rebuilding Afghanistan.