Menu

United States Institute of Peace

Home ▶ Events

Designing an Afghan Peace Process in Comparative Perspective

Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 / Time: 9:00am - 11:00am 

Share This
Print the Page

On November 29, the authors of two recent USIP Peaceworks on the Afghan peace process shared their report findings on the challenges presented by the Afghan conflict, and lessons for overcoming them and achieving durable peace gleaned from comparative international experience.


The increasing consensus about the desirability of a negotiated peace process in Afghanistan has been accompanied by doubts about its feasibility. The September assassination of Afghan High Peace Council Chairman Burhanuddin Rabbani only bolstered those doubts. Nevertheless, interest in a negotiated solution persists, and “reconciliation” remains on the agenda of the International Conference on Afghanistan at Bonn on December 5. The design of a potential peace process can have an important impact on the chances of a viable negotiation and the quality and durability of its outcome.  As yet, though, there are few detailed proposals for mechanisms to advance such a process in Afghanistan. While every conflict is unique, current efforts to end the war can build more on lessons learned from peace processes in other countries.

The authors of two recent USIP Peaceworks, Designing a Comprehensive Peace Process for Afghanistan and Beyond Power-Sharing: Institutional Options for an Afghan Peace Process, that analyze the requirements of an Afghan peace process, discussed the particular challenges presented by the Afghan conflict and some lessons from comparative international experience for overcoming them.

Speakers

  • Hamish Nixon, panelist
    Project Coordinator
    United States Institute of Peace / Peace Research Institute Oslo
  • Caroline Hartzell, panelist
    2010-2011 Jennings Randolph Fellow
    United States Institute of Peace
  • Lisa Schirch, panelist
    Director
    3P Human Security
  • Nilofar Sakhi, panelist
    former Country Director
    Open Society Institute - Afghanistan
  • Andrew Wilder, moderator
    Director, Afghanistan and Pakistan Programs
    United States Institute of Peace

Explore Further

Related Academy Courses

 

Related Publications

The Latest @ USIP: Reclaiming Human Rights in Afghanistan

The Latest @ USIP: Reclaiming Human Rights in Afghanistan

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

By: Fatima Gailani

Since taking power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed their own interpretation of Islamic law onto the people of Afghanistan and consistently rolled back human rights protections — especially for women and girls — all while the country struggles to recover from decades of conflict and economic crisis. USIP spoke with Fatima Gailani, the former president of the Afghan Red Crescent Society, about the various ways Afghans can put pressure on the Taliban to reclaim their rights and demand a better future.

Type: Blog

Gender;  Human Rights

Asfandyar Mir on Why ISIS-K Attacked Moscow

Asfandyar Mir on Why ISIS-K Attacked Moscow

Monday, April 1, 2024

By: Asfandyar Mir, Ph.D.

ISIS-K’s recent attack on the Russian capital was, in part, intended to assert the organization’s growing capacity to inflict terror beyond its home base of Afghanistan. “By reaching Moscow, ISIS-K is trying to signal it has the geographic reach to hit anywhere in the world,” says USIP’s Asfandyar Mir.

Type: Podcast

Moscow Concert Hall Attack Will Have Far-Reaching Impact

Moscow Concert Hall Attack Will Have Far-Reaching Impact

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

By: Mary Glantz, Ph.D. ;   Gavin Helf, Ph.D. ;   Asfandyar Mir, Ph.D. ;   Andrew Watkins

On Friday, terrorists attacked the Crocus City Hall outside Moscow leaving 140 people dead and 80 others critically wounded. Soon after, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. The terrorist group, which is headquartered in Iraq and Syria, has several branches, including in South and Central Asia. Press reports suggest the U.S. government believes the Afghanistan-based affiliate of the Islamic State, ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), was behind the attack. The Biden administration has publicly noted that it had warned the Russian government of the terrorism threat in early March in line with the procedure of “Duty to Warn.”

Type: Question and Answer

Global Policy

The Challenges Facing Afghans with Disabilities

The Challenges Facing Afghans with Disabilities

Thursday, February 29, 2024

By: Belquis Ahmadi

In Afghanistan, obtaining accurate data on the number of persons with disabilities — including gender-disaggregated information — has always been a challenging endeavor. But based on the data we do have, it’s clear that more than four decades of violent conflict have left a considerable portion of the Afghan population grappling with various forms of disabilities, both war-related and otherwise. And the pervasive lack of protective mechanisms, social awareness and empathy surrounding disability continue to pose formidable challenges for individuals with disabilities, with women being disproportionately affected.

Type: Analysis

Gender;  Human Rights

View All Publications