Menu

United States Institute of Peace

Home ▶ Events

The Prospects for Peace and Reconciliation in Afghanistan

Date: Monday, May 17, 2010 / Time: 6:00am - 7:30am 

Share This
Print the Page

On May 17, 2010 USIP hosted one of Afghanistan's foremost politicians and diplomats, Abdullah Abdullah. A leading political advisor to Ahmad Shah Masood during the anti-Soviet jihad, and representative of the Northern Alliance during the Taliban era, Dr. Abdullah served as Afghanistan's Foreign Minister from 200-2006. In 2009, Dr. Abdullah ran a highly popular campaign for President of Afghanistan, qualifying for second round run-off election with President Karzai.

What are the prospects for a negotiated settlement to the armed conflict in Afghanistan? Just as the U.S. military is surging forces into southern Afghanistan, discussion about political reconciliation with insurgents is beginning to dominate the international agenda on Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai has announced his desire to hold talks with top Taliban leaders, and has called for a consultative Peace Jirga this summer to build consensus among groups throughout Afghanistan. But is a peace deal with the one-time hosts to al-Qaeda possible? Will the Afghan groups that fought against the Taliban be willing to welcome them into the government?

Speakers

  • Abdullah Abdullah
    Former Finance Minister of Afghanistan
  • J Alexander Thier
    Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan, U.S. Institute of Peace

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