The Taliban victory in Afghanistan presents new complex challenges for the citizens, the region, and the West. Arriving at a stable post-conflict society is not going to be an easy task. Peace remains elusive and the prospect of civil war looms large. The country has the potential to once again become a haven for terrorist groups and a threat to the world—the Taliban continue to maintain relations with Al Qaeda and its affiliates. The new regime lacks legitimacy at home and diplomatic recognition abroad. Since coming to power, they have curtailed human and women’s rights. The economy is on the brink of a collapse. Having won the war, the Taliban are struggling to win peace and stability.
The Afghanistan Negotiation Project, based at the Negotiation Task Force, explores the current conflict dynamics in Afghanistan. The study offers an overview of the negotiation environment in Afghanistan through stakeholder analysis and conflict mapping to outline the political environment in which any peace process would have to unfold. The project will develop an interactive database of domestic, regional, and international actors, stakeholders, interests, and aims, and analyze those relationships with the final and overall goal of developing scholarship that seeks to identify opportunities for effective conflict resolution through negotiation.
