Regional Dimensions of Afghanistan’s Peace and Security

This panel discussion reflected on the interests and roles of regional countries as it relates to Afghanistan's conflict, peace, and security under Taliban rule. The panelists – including scholars with regional and subject matter expertise on peacemaking and security – explored the relationship between the Taliban and Central Asian states, and neighboring countries such as China, Pakistan and Iran.

The conversation focused on each country’s policy of engagement with Afghanistan, with reflections on peace and stability and outcomes from previous processes. Panelists discussed a peacemaking mechanism to bring regional and Afghan stakeholders together to address the current emerging traditional and nontraditional security threats caused by the return of the Taliban rule.

Opening remarks:
-Lisa Schirch, Richard G. Starmann, Sr. Professor of the Practice of Peace Studies

Moderator:
-Aref Dostyar, Former Consul General of Afghanistan to the Western United States; Visiting Research Fellow and Senior Advisor to the AffPAD program at the University of Notre Dame's Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies

Panelists:
-Barnett Rubin, Distinguished Fellow with the China Program at the Stimson Center; Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Quincy Institute Responsible Statecraft; Senior Fellow and Director of the Afghanistan Regional Program at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation
-Fatemeh Aman, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute
-Asfandyar Mir, Senior Expert in the South Asia program, USIP
-Nilofar Sakhi, Visiting Research Fellow, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies; Professorial Lecturer of International Affairs, Elliott School of George Washington University