India Review Cover Page

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

India Review Cover Page India Review A PUBLICATION OF THE EMBASSY OF INDIA, KABUL VOLUME 2 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2006 Highlights of the NEWNEW DELHIDELHI HOSTSHOSTS Delhi Declaration ■ Noted that regional coop- eration creates possibilities 2ND2ND RECCRECC ONON for reducing poverty and achieving the Afghanistan Compact benchmarks. AFGHANISTANAFGHANISTAN ■ Noted that possibilities to trade electricity and acceler- ating construction of trans- mission infrastructure have the potential for mutual ben- efit to several countries. ■ Afghanistan’s potential gas, oil and coal natural reserves will be considered for development with private sector participation. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Hamid Karzai at the inauguration of the 2nd Regional Economic Cooperation ■ Countries will work Conference (RECC) in New Delhi on November 18. Also seen in the photo are Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee, towards collaborative right, and Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta, right. regional management of ndia has said it is commit- bours in the country’s socio-eco- Underlining the “tremendous common resources, espe- ted to a “stable and pros- nomic reconstruction. fund of goodwill” between the cially in border areas. perous Afghanistan” and A ‘Delhi Declaration was people of India and Afghanistan, ■ The proposed has called for accelerated issued at the end of the confer- Singh said India, being a close Turkmenistan-Afghanistan- regional economic cooper- ence (See box for highlights). and friendly neighbour, has “par- Pakistan-India gas pipeline ationI to reconstruct the violence- “Through increased regional ticular interest in the success of has the potential for new hit country. cooperation, we will be able to this conference” in outlining “the opportunities for regional “Peace and security of reinforce the international com- template of regional coopera- energy cooperation. Afghanistan is essential for the munity’s stake in the develop- tion” to rebuild Afghanistan. ■ Countries will seek to stability and prosperity of not ment and reconstruction of Describing the 2nd RECC –– bring together their regula- only Afghanistan but also for the Afghanistan,” Singh said. India the first was held in Kabul last tory systems and procedures entire region and the world,” has pledged $650 million for the year –– as “a landmark event” for so that the barriers to cross Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reconstruction of Afghanistan. both the people of Afghanistan border movements of goods said in New Delhi on the opening and the region, President Karzai and services are progressive- day of the 2nd Regional RECC Agenda said “a stable, democratic and ly reduced. ■ Economic Cooperation Confere- ■ prosperous Afghanistan could To enhance regional Heads of Delegations dis- trade, countries will work nce (RECC) on Afghanistan. cussed strengthening of regional make an important contribution together to establish effi- Prime Minister Singh and cooperation mechanisms and to the prosperity of the entire Afghan President Hamid Karzai capacities. region”. cient and transparent trade jointly inaugurated the two-day ■ Recommendations of the Karzai also underlined the practices. ■ conference that was attended by Technical Working Group on need for a “collective” fight Decided to undertake representatives from Turkey, Iran, Electricity Trade and Energy against terrorism and extremism stronger credibility and con- Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmen- Development were tabled. that afflicts not only his country fidence building measures istan, Pakistan, China, the U.A.E, ■ Considered recommendations but other regions as well. (CCBMs), vital for sustained Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Canada, of the Technical Working Group Both Singh and Karzai also and interactive regional co- France, Germany, Italy, Japan, on on Trade Facilitation and underlined the threat that the ris- operation. Russia, the U.S., Britain, Finland, Transport. ing level of violence in Afgha- ■ Regional countries will the European Commission, the ■ Recommendations of the nistan, engineered by the hard- intensify efforts to remove Council of Europe, the Technical Working Group on line militia Taliban, poses to the obstacles to overland trade International Monetary Fund, the Investment, Business Potential stability of not only Kabul but to and transit between coun- World Bank and the U.N. and Trade studied. the entire region. tries and regions. ■ The 2nd RECC was aimed at Recommendations of the “Dealing with this challenge is ■ Regional countries will identifying key projects for revi- Technical Working Group on a collective responsibility,” Man- work towards aviation liber- talising Afghanistan’s war-hit Agriculture and Agro Industry mohan Singh stressed. alisation for greater regional Development considered. economy and involving its neigh- Continued on page 2 connectivity..
Recommended publications
  • Herat Security Dialogue Short Bios of the Presenters and Moderators
    Herat Security Dialogue Short Bios of the Presenters and Moderators Abdullah Ahmadzai Abdullah Ahmadzai is The Asia Foundation’s County Representative in Afghanistan. He served as the Deputy Country Representative from 2012 to 2014. He was formerly Chief Electoral Officer for the Independent Election Commission (IEC) of Afghanistan. Prior to his position with the IEC, from June 2006 to October 2009, Ahmadzai worked with the Foundation, serving under the Support to Center of Government project in Afghanistan. Between 2004 and 2006, he held positions with the UN under the Joint Electoral Management Body Secretariat (JEMBS), first as an Area Manager and then as Chief of Operations. From 2003-2004, Ahmadzai was actively involved with the Afghanistan Constitution Commission which was mandated by the 2001 Bonn Agreement to draft a new constitution for the country. Under the Commission, he assisted with the Emergency Loya Jirga and later the drafting of the constitution which was formally adopted in January 2004. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Brains Degree College in Peshawar, Pakistan, in addition to several workshop certificates earned through Harvard and Georgetown Universities, and the International Foundation for Electoral Services. Abdul Ghafoor Liwal Abdul Ghafoor Liwal is the Special Advisor to the President of National Unity Government for Tribal and Border Affairs. Prior to this, he worked as a Deputy Minister of Tribal and Border Affairs. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature from Kabul University and two Masters, one in Journalism from Maryland University (2004-2005), and another in Pashtu from Kabul University in 2008.
    [Show full text]
  • November 08, 2018
    Page 4 November 08, 2018 (1) Presidential Poll... Afghan News: “I plan to contest the dence on foreign aid and put a ma- when talking about Jennie’s com- 10,000 horticulturists were engaged in pomegranate farming and har- resigned from their posts. Presidential Election and the cre- jor dent in the illicit opium trade, the ments. vests in Kandahar. A reliable source wishing anonym- ation of our team is being mulled main revenue source of the Taliban “How could you do anything but He said the Ministry of Agriculture, ity said four electoral alliances had over.” insurgency. not try and do your best on Election Irrigation and Livestock created been formed so far. Anwarul Haq Ahadi, head of the The sanctions exception granted to Day? To sit around and mope or not new pomegranate gardens on 250 Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with Atta New Afghanistan National Front, the Chabahar project aims to further focus is something that would be acres of land in Kandahar this year. Mohammad Noor and Sarwar Dan- said: “I will try to be an independent US ties with Afghanistan and India unrelateable to Brent,” he said. (Pajhwok) ish as his deputies would be sup- candidate but if the decision to sup- “as we execute a policy of maxi- Thousands of miles away in Af- ported by Gulbuddin Hikmatyar, port another candidate would be mum pressure to change the Iranian ghanistan, Rahmani told VOA he (10) 7 Police Personnel... taken later.” regime’s destabilizing policies in hoped the Taliban would see his let- Mohammad Karim Khalili, Sib- Mohibullah Mohib said two securi- Syed Jawad Hussiani, spokesman the region and beyond,” the State ter and realize that the “bonds” of ghatullah Mujadidi, Pir Syed Hamid ty forces were killed and two others for the New Afghanistan National Department spokesman said.
    [Show full text]
  • Briefing Notes 22 July 2013
    Asylum and Migration Information Centre Briefing Notes 22 July 2013 Afghanistan Security situation Also last week saw fights and attacks, mainly targeted at representatives of the Afghan state or at foreign military staff. On 17.07.13, a prosecutor was shot dead by Taliban members in the city of Karuch (western Herat province). The victim was a brother of the security advisor and former minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta. In Logar province (south of Kabul), Taliban members attacked eight Afghan civilians contracted by ISAF, who were on their way to work, and executed them with shots to the head on 18.07.13. On the same day, two police officers were killed and two injured in an attack on a police station by the Taliban in northern Kunduz city. On 19.07.13, four attacks occurred in different places in southern Helmand province, killing five Afghan intelligence officers, three policemen and six civilians. In neighbouring Kandahar province, several bomb attacks claimed the lives of at least five civilians, nine more people were injured. The attacks were launched in Panjwai, Arghandab and Spin Boldak districts. Also last weekend, Afghan and NATO units killed at least 30 Taliban insurgents within 24 hours, as was reported by the Afghan interior ministry. Great Britain grants right of stay to Afghan helpers According to several press reports, the British government plans to grant the right to reside in the UK to a total of around 600 Afghans who served the British forces by carrying out particularly dangerous and demanding jobs (mostly interpreters). Setbacks for women’s rights NGO Human Rights Watch reports that the draft of a criminal law amendment is pending in parliament prohibiting the relatives of a criminal defendant from being questioned as a witness against the accused.
    [Show full text]
  • Study on Security Cooperation in The
    This publicaion has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publicaion are the sole responsibility of ATR Consuling and can in no way be taken to relect the views of the European Union. CONTENTs Execuive Summary 1 Acronyms 2 Acknowledgements 5 Background and 6 Context Concept and 7 Background of the Heart of Asia Building r Commitment 8 States to the Heart of Asia Process Among Membe Map 1: 9 Heart of Asia Member States Exising Studies 10 on the Heart of Asia Process Approach and 11 Methodology Approach 11 Research Quesions 11 Methodology 12 Findings 13 Security Cooperaion’ Looking Beyond the Tradiional Deiniion of ‘ 13 Security Threats 14 in the Region Security Cooperaion 17 Mechanisms in the Region Obstacles to 22 Efecive Security Cooperaion in the Region Opportuniies for 23 Intensiied Security Cooperaion Incenives for 25 Intensiied Security Cooperaion Policy Opions 26 for the Heart of Asia Conclusion 29 Appendix I: 31 Afghanistan Most Relevant 32 Security Threats to Afghanistan Exising Security 32 Cooperaion Mechanisms Obstacles to 35 Efecive Security Cooperaion Opportuniies aion and 38 Incenives for Intensiied Security Cooper Promising Policy 40 Opions for the Heart of Asia Process Map 2: 40 Proposed Route of TAPI Gas Pipeline Project Appendix II: 42 Azerbaijan Most Relevant 43 Security Threats Exising Security 44 Cooperaion Mechanisms Obstacles to Efecive Security Cooperaion 45 Opportuniies and Incenives for Intensiied Security Cooperaion 46 Promising Policy Opions for the Heart of Asia Process
    [Show full text]
  • Downloaded for Personal Non‐Commercial Research Or Study, Without Prior Permission Or Charge
    Hakimi, Aziz Ahmed (2015) Fighting for patronage: American counterinsurgency and the Afghan local police. PhD thesis. SOAS, University of London. Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non‐commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. When referring to this thesis, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", name of the School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination. Fighting for Patronage: American counterinsurgency and the Afghan Local Police AZIZ AHMED HAKIMI Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Development Studies School of Oriental and African Studies University of London 2015 1 Abstract This thesis examines the emergence and evolution of the Afghan Local Police (ALP), a pro-government militia supported by the US military as an entry point for exploring the fluid security and political terrain of post-2001 Afghanistan. The study reveals how the ALP emerged as a compromise between the US ambition to scale up the use of local militias and the Afghan president’s attempts to control the local armed groups and the flow of patronage that the US support to these groups represented.
    [Show full text]
  • Counterinsurgency, Local Militias, and Statebuilding in Afghanistan
    [PEACEW RKS [ COUNTERINSURGENCY, LOCAL MILITIAS, AND STATEBUILDING IN AFGHANISTAN Jonathan Goodhand and Aziz Hakimi ABOUT THE REPORT Much international effort and funding have focused on building and bureaucratizing the means of violence in Afghanistan. At the same time, parallel government and NATO experiments have armed local defense forces, including local militias, under the Afghan Local Police (ALP) program to fight the insurgency and provide security at the local level. This report—which is based on a year’s research in Kabul and the provinces of Wardak, Baghlan, and Kunduz—seeks to understand the role and impact of the ALP on security and political dynamics in the context of ongoing counterinsurgency and stabilization operations and the projected drawdown of international troops in 2014 . ABOUT THE AUTHORS Jonathan Goodhand is a professor of conflict and development studies in the Development Studies department at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London. His research interests include the political economy of aid, conflict, and postwar reconstruction, with a particular focus on Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Aziz Hakimi is a PhD candidate at SOAS. His dissertation focuses on the ALP in relation to Afghan statebuilding. Cover photo: Afghan Local Police candidates, Daykundi Province, by Petty Officer 2nd Class David Brandenburg, supplied by DVIDS The views expressed in this report are those of the authors alone. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Institute of Peace. United States Institute of Peace 2301 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC 20037 Phone: 202.457.1700 Fax: 202.429.6063 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.usip.org Peaceworks No.
    [Show full text]
  • Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS)
    Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) Herat Security Dialogue-VIII "Settlement of Afghanistan Conflict: Opportunities and Obstacles” 18-19 October 2019-Herat Conference Report www.aiss.af AISS-HSD-08-2019 Contents About AISS ......................................................................................................................................... 1 A Short Introduction to the Herat Security Dialogue Series .................................................. 3 Concept Note ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Opening session ................................................................................................................................. 5 Panel I: An Inter-Elite Consensus: Nationalism & Governance ......................................... 17 Question and answer: ................................................................................................ 28 Panel II: Taliban 1 & 2: Have They Learned Their Lesson? ............................................... 29 Question and Answer: ............................................................................................... 35 Panel III: Economic and Social Transformation ..................................................................... 36 Question and Answer: ............................................................................................... 41 Panel IV: South Asia: A Paradigm Change? ...........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Steht Später Die Headline
    COUNTRY RE PORT Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V. AFGHANISTAN NILS WÖRMER October 2014 Unity Government in Kabul www.kas.de AFGHAN HANDOVER UNDEMOCRATIC BUT PEACEFUL www.kas.de/afghanistan The Afghan constitution barred serving the brink of collapse – agreed to form a Na- President Hamid Karzai from standing tional Unity Government. again in 2014. Thus, many Afghans hoped that the third presidential election since The inauguration of Ashraf Ghani followed the fall of the Taliban in 2001 would bring on 29 September and ended the almost 13- the first democratic handover in the coun- year presidency of Hamid Karzai, who ini- try’s history. But when a victor was finally tially served as interim president for two announced almost six months after the years from December 2001 and then won first round of voting, there was little men- the 2004 and 2009 presidential elections. tion of democracy in Kabul. Large parts of the population were simply relieved to see The IEC sent result of the second round of what appeared to be a peaceful handover, voting on 14 June to the election teams of and glad that the economic stagnation both candidates on 21 September, after the and political and personal uncertainty of agreement on forming a National Unity the election period were over. Yet the Government had been signed and the head election process, which some observers of the Commission, Ahmad Yousuf Nuri- made into a milestone of the transition stani, had declared Ghani the winner of the phase or a litmus test of the current state presidential elections.
    [Show full text]
  • Petersberg Papers on Afghanistan and the Region
    Liechtenstein Colloquium Report Petersberg Papers on Afghanistan and the Region Wolfgang Danspeckgruber Editor Volume IV 2009 Petersberg Papers on Afghanistan and the Region Wolfgang Danspeckgruber Editor Liechtenstein Colloquium Report Volume IV © 2009 The Trustees of Princeton University Produced and published by the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination This report was made possible in part by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The statements made and the views expressed herein are solely the responsibility of the contributing authors. Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs Princeton University Princeton, New Jersey 08544 USA Telephone: 609.258.6200 Facsimile: 609.258.5196 Electronic Mail: [email protected] Website: www.princeton.edu/lisd CONTENTS List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................... 4 Foreword Wolfgang Danspeckgruber .................................................................................................................. 6 Special Statements Opening Address Rangin Dadfar Spanta .................................................................................................................. 7 An Exit Strategy for Afghanistan Volker Stanzel .............................................................................................................................. 10 Special Statement Rita Kieber-Beck ........................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The a to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance 2009
    The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance 2009 AFGHANISTAN RESEARCH AND EVALUATION UNIT Improving Afghan Lives Through Research The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance 2009 Seventh Edition AFGHANISTAN RESEARCH AND EVALUATION UNIT Improving Afghan Lives Through Research IMPORTANT NOTE: The information presented in this Guide relies on the voluntary contributions of ministries and agencies of the Afghan government, embassies, development agencies and other organisations representing donor countries, national and international NGOs, and other institutions. While AREU undertakes with each edition of this Guide to provide the most accurate and current information possible, details evolve and change continuously. Users of this guide are encouraged to submit updates, additions, corrections and suggestions to [email protected]. © Copyright Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, January 2009. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher, the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Permission can be obtained by emailing areu@ areu.org.af or by calling +93 799 608 548. Coordinating Editor: Cynthia Lee Contacts Section: Sheela Rabani and Noorullah Elham Contributors: Ahmadullah Amarkhil, Amanullah Atel, Chris Bassett, Mia Bonarski, Colin Deschamps, Noorullah Elham, Susan Fakhri, Paula Kantor, Anna Larson, Sheela Rabani, Rebecca Roberts, Syed Mohammad Shah,
    [Show full text]
  • Country of Origin Information Report: AFGHANISTAN
    COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT AFGHANISTAN 29 AUGUST 2008 UK Border Agency COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE AFGHANISTAN 29 AUGUST 2008 Contents Preface Latest News EVENTS IN AFGHANISTAN FROM 15 AUGUST TO 29 AUGUST 2008 REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED SINCE 15 AUGUST 2008 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY........................................................................................1.01 Maps .............................................................................................. 1.08 2. ECONOMY............................................................................................ 2.01 3. HISTORY.............................................................................................. 3.01 Overview to December 2001........................................................ 3.01 Post-Taliban.................................................................................. 3.02 Presidential election 9 October 2004 and the new Cabinet...... 3.08 Parliamentary and provincial elections 18 September 2005 .... 3.10 Afghanistan Compact 31 January 2006...................................... 3.14 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ..................................................................... 4.01 5. CONSTITUTION..................................................................................... 5.01 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM .............................................................................. 6.01 Overview ......................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Political Leadership in Afghanistan Identifying and Assessing Determining Factors
    Dissertation Political Leadership in Afghanistan Identifying and Assessing Determining Factors Ahmad Idrees Rahmani This document was submitted as a dissertation in January 2016 in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the doctoral degree in public policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. The faculty committee that supervised and approved the dissertation consisted of Terrence Kelly (Chair), Gery Ryan, and Thomas Szayna. PARDEE RAND GRADUATE SCHOOL For more information on this publication, visit http://www.rand.org/pubs/rgs_dissertations/RGSD371.html Perhaps no question is as central to political discourse as that of political leadership. For if there is an “irreducible fact” of politics, it is that in many political society some shall be the rulers and some the ruled (Dahl and Neubauer, 1968). Published by the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. © Copyright 2016 RAND Corporation R® is a registered trademark Limited Print and Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.html. The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous.
    [Show full text]