February 15 marks six months since the Taliban's takeover of Kabul. The changes over that time have fundamentally altered the U.S. approach to Afghanistan, although the goals of countering terrorism, maintaining regional stability and protecting Afghans' human rights remain. While violent conflict among armed groups has largely ended, Afghanistan's already struggling economy has deteriorated, and the Afghan people are facing an extraordinarily grave humanitarian crisis. The Taliban's "interim government" is widely viewed as insular and exclusive. It has restricted rights of girls and women, and it has at times turned a blind eye to abductions, beatings and, in some cases, the torture and killing of journalists, human rights activists and former civilian and military officials. 

Tom West was appointed the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan in October 2021, and tasked with advancing U.S. objectives in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces and the Taliban takeover. As part of his efforts, he engages in dialogue with representatives of the Taliban, regional leaders, the international community and Afghan political, civil society and diaspora members to find ways to assist the Afghan people while protecting U.S. national security interests.

On Februrary 15, USIP held a discussion with Special Representative West on the State Department's consultations with the Taliban, other Afghans and the international community as well as an overview of how the United States and others are supporting the Afghan people during this period of significant transition for the country. Following keynote remarks was a question and answer session, moderated by former USIP Board of Directors Chair and former U.S. National Security Advisor Stephen J. Hadley. 

Speakers

Thomas West 
Special Representative for Afghanistan and Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South And Central Asian Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Stephen J. Hadley, moderator 
Former Chair, Board of Directors, U.S. Institute of Peace; Former U.S. National Security Advisor 

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

GenderHuman Rights

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

GenderHuman Rights

The Latest @ USIP: Children Born of War

The Latest @ USIP: Children Born of War

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

By: Eunice Otuko Apio

Unfortunately, children born as a result of conflict-related sexual violence have been overlooked in the international community’s peacebuilding agenda for a long time. Eunice Otuko Apio, a member of Uganda's Parliament and a finalist for USIP’s 2022 Women Building Peace Award, discusses why children born of war have historically been marginalized in peace processes, how resources can be used to support them and their families more effectively, and how women can contribute to peacebuilding more broadly.

Type: Blog

GenderHuman Rights

The Latest @ USIP: U.N. Engagement in Afghanistan

The Latest @ USIP: U.N. Engagement in Afghanistan

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

By: Kanni Wignaraja

While some parts of the Afghan economy managed to stabilize in 2023, poverty continued to increase and now stands at 69 percent of the population. Kanni Wignaraja, director for Asia and the Pacific at the U.N. Development Programme, discusses UNDP’s efforts to build resilience in local markets and promote women-owned enterprises in Afghanistan; explores ways to navigate relations with the Taliban; and examines how the decline in international aid is affecting humanitarian efforts in the country.

Type: Blog

EconomicsHuman Rights

View All Publications