A year and a half after the events of August 15, 2021, when the Islamic Emirate regained control of Afghanistan, the situation in the country remains extremely hopeful.
He the security situation has improved significantly. Violence levels have dropped dramatically in the past 18 months and continue to hit new lows, despite doomsday predictions from critics of the new government in Kabul.
Even in Doha hotel lobbies during the negotiations, many diplomats had insisted on the possibility of another destructive civil war unless their demands were met. But the leaders of the Islamic Emirate took this contingency into account and enacted measures to prevent such an outcome.
While gaining control of the entire country, we took steps to weaken the possibility of a renewed war, responding to the concerns of the Afghans and embracing the humanitarian Islamic message of general amnesty and brotherhood.
Today, not only is the war over, but Afghanistan is being administered by an independent, powerful, united, central and accountable government. This is the first for Afghanistan in more than four decades.
The government has taken steps to disentangle Afghanistan from the crippling dependence on foreign aid that has defined the political setup for decades. Not only that, we are “Afghanizing” all sectors, making them more accountable to the needs of the local population, and with a focus on capacity building and sustainability. This gives strength to our feeling of ownership of our own territory.
At the same time, we also understand that the globalized nature of modern relations means that all state actors must learn to live in harmony and peace with one another. Such relationships must be based on the immutable principles of equality, mutual respect and cooperation through the pursuit of shared interests. With this in mind, the current government of Afghanistan once again extends its hand of positive engagement to the world.
We believe that a unique opportunity has arisen for a rapprochement between Afghanistan and the world. At the national level, the unity and cohesion of Afghan society is stronger than ever. We celebrate and take pride in our diversity and rich history. We do not believe in imposing the will of the majority on a minority. In our opinion, each citizen of the country is an inseparable part of the collective whole.
The conditions are ripe for Afghanistan to rise up as a responsible and independent member of the international community and fulfill its responsibility to promote world peace and security. The international community, for its part, must reciprocate by welcoming Afghanistan into its fold, respecting its independence and helping it to get back on its feet. Our foreign policy will be based on a balanced and independent approach, avoiding becoming entangled in global and regional rivalries. We will seek opportunities for shared interests and peaceful coexistence, based on the principle of equality and respect.
As for our internal affairs, which have sometimes been misconstrued or misconstrued, it remains necessary to dispel misinformation and present an accurate picture of Afghanistan’s values and needs. The religious and cultural sensibilities of our society require a cautious approach. Any government that has not maintained the proper balance, belonging to such sensibilities, has ultimately faced serious difficulties. This is a lesson that our recent history has emphasized time and time again.
We believe in dialogue and the exchange of ideas, in an environment free of political or economic pressure, and aimed at finding practical solutions and dispelling misunderstandings. Past experiences show that weaponizing human suffering does not bear fruit. Alleviating the current humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is our joint moral responsibility. Seeking to obtain political concessions by perpetuating mass suffering is neither civilized nor morally justifiable.
The main cause of the current economic crisis is the imposition of banking sanctions and restrictions by the United States. This impedes and delays our efforts to address the humanitarian crisis. The only way that respects the dignity of the Afghan people is through the lifting of sanctions and other trade restrictions on the country. A space must be created to foster the spirit and initiative of the Afghan people. In addition, the US should unfreeze Afghanistan’s frozen assets and, in accordance with the Doha deal, lift all sanctions. What moral and political justifications can the United States have for imposing crippling sanctions on a war-torn nation?
We remind the US and others that sanctions and pressure do not resolve differences. Only mutual trust does. Afghanistan has a history of failed states and collapsed governments. Not even the global powers and the great alliances could prevent this.
What would be the consequence of weakening this government? Such a scenario will surely be accompanied by a major human tragedy that will not be limited to Afghanistan, but will usher in new and unforeseen security, refugee, economic, health and other challenges for our neighbors, the region and the world.
The bitter reality is that over the past two decades, the Afghan economy has become totally dependent on foreign aid, almost to the point of addiction. With the sudden stop in foreign aid, it is now necessary to address the basic and fundamental needs of the Afghan people.
We recommend that aid prioritize job creation and infrastructure projects with lasting impact. Simply handing out bags of money will not result in sustainable livelihoods for millions of people unless the national economy is revived.
The first prerequisite for this is the removal of sanctions, to pave the way for the revitalization of the private sector. All obstacles to transnational trade, the extraction of natural resources and the implementation of national mega-projects must be removed. We, for our part, remain committed to ensuring an enabling environment and working with all states based on our shared interests. A self-sufficient Afghanistan is in everyone’s interest, while a failed Afghanistan endangers everyone.
It is necessary for the international community to establish political and economic relations with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, respecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
We have made significant progress in the last year and a half. This, despite the fact that we inherited a collapsed narco-state, with an empty treasury, unpaid bills, millions of drug addicts, rampant corruption, universal poverty and unemployment, and a stagnant economy.
We have established a professional security force, maintained national security, and made sure that no one uses the territory of Afghanistan against other countries. we have completely prohibited the cultivation of drugs. We welcome those who remain skeptical to visit Afghanistan and witness these undeniable facts up close.
Similarly, for the first time in decades, an Afghan government drew its budget entirely from internal revenue. In the past, more than two-thirds of the government budget was made up of foreign grants. In addition, the government has nationalized economic institutions, ensuring that these institutions comply with their internal mandates. In January, the latest World Bank report reflected these advances.
Furthermore, the government has cracked down on corruption, which, in the past, has put Afghanistan on the list of the most corrupt countries. It has also facilitated the movement of Afghans who wish to travel within the country or move abroad. This was done to meet the demand of the international community; we also retained around 500,000 members of the previous administration, while increasing the size of the public sector.
We recognize that there are challenges and gaps. But its solution requires time, means and cooperation. Generally speaking, virtually every country in the world has its own problems. However, we choose to help and alleviate, rather than avoid and exacerbate.
Let us remember that the international military coalition of the last two decades brought in hundreds of thousands of troops and spent trillions of dollars, but could not achieve the desired result. Even now, they have chosen to live in the past, rather than turn the page. They have repeatedly chosen to turn a blind eye to the positive steps of the government, and have only adopted a policy of accusations and pressure.
Therefore, there is still a need to understand and accept the reality that one hand cannot clap.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.
