Trouble in Afghanistan, trouble in the neighbourhood?

The Taliban has now controlled Afghanistan for over a year, and the relationship between the new rulers and its neighbours are taking shape. The level of continuity in the relationships between Afghanistan and its neighbours have been striking, as seen in the mounting tensions between the Taliban and its long-time supporter, Pakistan. Furthermore, global shifts – including Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and China’s steady rise – impacts both Afghanistan and the dynamics within its surrounding regions.

How did the tense neighbourly relations play into the 2021 endgame and Taliban’s military victory? How do Afghanistan’s neighbours relate to Afghanistan’s new rulers? Can distant powers contribute to aiding Afghans by working with the country’s neighbours?

Chair: Arne Strand

Panellists: Ilaria Carozza, Kristian Berg Harpviken, Andrew Watkins and Masood Karokhail