Menu

United States Institute of Peace

Home ▶ Events

Twitter Space: Afghanistan One Year Later

USIP Experts Assess the First Year Since the U.S. Withdrawal and Taliban Takeover

Date: Wednesday, August 31, 2022 / Time: 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

Center: Asia Center

Share This
Print the Page

August 30 marks the one-year anniversary of the last U.S. troops leaving Afghanistan. The unceremonious end of America’s longest military intervention was overshadowed by the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul two weeks prior, followed by a tumultuous evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghan citizens. Over the past weeks, USIP experts and partners have been assessing Afghanistan’s first year under Taliban rule in key areas, including the deteriorating economy, the humanitarian crisis, the Taliban’s transition from insurgent group to government, the conditions facing women, girls and youth, and current regional dynamics. 

A traffic police officer looks on as Taliban fighters, many of whom drove in from neighboring provinces, gather in Kabul to celebrate the first anniversary of their seizure of control over the capital on Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (Kiana Hayeri/The New York Times)
(Kiana Hayeri/The New York Times)

On August 31, USIP hosted a Twitter Space discussion with USIP experts on how Afghanistan has changed over the past year, what it means for the country going forward, and ways U.S. and international policy can continue to support efforts for an inclusive and stable Afghanistan that recognizes the rights of all its citizens.

Note: This live Twitter Space was hosted on USIP’s Twitter account, @USIP. A recording of this discussion is also available on this page as an episode of the “USIP Events” podcast.

Continue the conversation on Twitter using the #AfghanistanUSIP hashtag.

Speakers

Scott Worden
Director, Afghanistan and Central Asia, U.S. Institute of Peace
@ScottRWorden

Kate Bateman
Senior Expert, Afghanistan, U.S. Institute of Peace
@katebatemandc

Belquis Ahmadi
Senior Program Officer, Afghanistan, U.S. Institute of Peace
@belquisa2

Asfandyar Mir
Senior Expert, Asia Center, U.S. Institute of Peace
@asfandyarmir

Andrew Watkins 
Senior Expert, Afghanistan, U.S. Institute of Peace
@and_huh_what

William Byrd
Senior Expert, Afghanistan, U.S. Institute of Peace
@BillBparenda

Related Publications

Senior Study Group on Counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan: Final Report

Senior Study Group on Counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan: Final Report

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

By: USIP Senior Study Group on Counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan

When announcing the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in April 2021, President Joe Biden identified counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan as an enduring and critical US national security interest. This priority became even more pronounced after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, the discovery of al-Qaeda’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul less than a year later, and the increasing threat of the Islamic State of Khorasan (ISIS-K) from Afghanistan. However, owing to the escalating pressures of strategic competition with China and Russia, counterterrorism has significantly dropped in importance in the policy agenda.

Type: Report

Violent Extremism

Why Counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan Still Matters

Why Counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan Still Matters

Thursday, May 9, 2024

By: Ambassador Anne Patterson; Tricia Bacon, Ph.D.; Ambassador P. Michael McKinley; Joshua White, Ph.D.; Brian Finucane, Ph.D.

From wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to rising tensions in the South China Sea, there is no shortage of crises to occupy the time and attention of U.S. policymakers. But three years after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the threat of terrorism emanating from South Asia remains strong and policymakers need to be more vigilant. Indeed, at the end of March, an Afghanistan-based affiliate of ISIS launched a devastating attack outside of Moscow, killing over 140 people.

Type: Question and Answer

Global Policy;  Violent Extremism

Despite Daunting Economic Headwinds, Afghan Private Sector Shows Signs of Life

Despite Daunting Economic Headwinds, Afghan Private Sector Shows Signs of Life

Thursday, May 2, 2024

By: William Byrd, Ph.D.

Three years after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the country’s economy remains in a dismal state marked by depression-level price deflation, high unemployment and a collapse of GDP. Still, while the bad news for Afghans is well known, less visible are some green shoots in the country’s private sector that, if properly encouraged, could mitigate the situation. These range from small business activity to Taliban plans for major projects to the potential for an uptick in investment. Clearly nothing in those developments can stimulate a strong economic revival.

Type: Analysis

Economics

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

View All Publications