Month: October 2020

Covid-19 in Afghanistan (8): The political economy repercussions of Covid-19 and the aid response

Bill Byrd •

In addition to its disastrous public health effects on Afghanistan, the Covid-19 pandemic is harming the country’s economy and has pushed more people into poverty. Covid is also creating a sizable hole in the national budget, diverting precious aid resources away from development and any possible ‘peace dividend’ and complicating rather than simplifying current political […]

14 Oct 2020

Tens Of Thousands Flee Latest Taliban Offensive, And Afghan Civilian Casualties Rise

NPR, 13 October 2020 AAN’s Ali Yawar Adili is quoted in this news item on the Taleban attack near Lashkargah on US National Public Radio (also in audio format), saying Such an attack will impact the peace process because there is already growing anger at the intensification of violence in many provinces.

13 Oct 2020

Taleban Opportunism and ANSF Frustration: How the Afghan conflict has changed since the Doha agreement

Andrew Quilty •

Those ‘living the war’ in Afghanistan, both civilians and combatants, have had markedly different experiences in the last seven months depending on where they are in the country. Those in Taleban-controlled areas have seen unexpected peace since the United States and Taleban signed their agreement in Doha after the US largely halted air attacks and […]

12 Oct 2020

Los talibanes aplauden la sugerencia de Trump de retirar todas sus tropas de Afganistán para Navidad

El País, 8 October 2020 AAN co-director Thomas Ruttig is quoted here (in Spanish translation) about Trump’s latest, confusing (or confused) tweet saying all US soldiers “should” be out by Christmas, saying that although it is unlikely that this becomes policy, “a unilateral decision” by the US president can’t be ruled out and that such […]

8 Oct 2020

Disappointment over Karbala: A pilgrimage off-limits in 2020… and memories of 2019

Rohullah Sorush •

In normal times, millions of people, including tens of thousands of Afghans, would be gathering in Karbala in Iraq today for the Arba’in pilgrimage. It marks the 40th day of mourning after the martyrdom of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, Imam Hussain and his 72 companions in Karbala more than 1300 years ago. This year, […]

8 Oct 2020

Afghanistan Donor Conference 2020: Pitfalls and Possibilities

USIP, 7 October 2020 Bill Byrd’s look ahead at the next (of the almost annual) donor conferences, this time in Geneva, hosted by the UN, as no single donor volunteered to host it. One of the author’s conclusions: … the outcome of the donors meeting … is uncertain: It could effectively promote development and peace […]

7 Oct 2020

Disbanding the ALP: A dangerous final chapter for a force with a chequered history

Kate Clark •

Funding for the Afghan Local Police (ALP), the largest and longest-lasting Afghan local defence force, ended on 30 September. Despite knowing this was going to happen for more than a year, it was only in early summer that the government decided what to do with the tens of thousands of ALP who are present in […]

6 Oct 2020

Afghan peace talks

Himal, 5 October 2020 AAN’s report about Afghanistan as a rentier state features in the Southasiasphere podcast of the South Asia-focussed online journal: There’s this report from May this year in the Afghan [sic] Analysts Network which looks at you know what the impact of foreign aid has been in Afghan economy and also in […]

5 Oct 2020

Afghanistan needs to invest in its people—now more than ever

World Bank blog, 4 October 2020 The headline is misleading on the harsh realities the text describes, Afghanistan’s grave deficites – despite some progress – in education and health and the gender gap.

4 Oct 2020

Covid-19 in Afghanistan (7): The effects of the pandemic on the private lives and safety of women at home

Khadija Hossaini •

Covid-19 has had an alarming effect on Afghanistan, exacerbating poverty and reducing access to health care, in addition to the deaths and illness. The pandemic has also had specific consequences for women, particularly during lockdown, including increased levels of domestic violence and reduced access to schools and medical care. AAN’s Khadija Hossaini discovered that women […]

1 Oct 2020