International community’s creditable financial and non-financial support to Afghanistan since the fall of Taliban regime has caused notable improvements in areas like security, economy, democracy, civil society, human and women rights, media, education and other important areas. Nonetheless, the unfortunate fact is that all those gains remain highly fragile as security remains at its worst and political uncertainty has significantly gone up.
Withdrawal of most of the international troops from Afghanistan is to take place by the end of 2014 or even before that. And with that the role of international community will also diminish. The government of Afghanistan has a very crucial role to play at this crucial time but it seems to be sleeping like a log.
Today, after about 12 years of international effort and establishment of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), the lives of the people of Afghanistan are still at the mercy of militants. Insurgents continue suicide/roadside bombings, targeted killings, abductions, etc. and no end to such acts is observable.
The last 12 years were the best ever opportunity for our worn-torn country Afghanistan to pave its path and strengthen its foundations for long term development. If Afghan leadership had planned better, today we would have a completely different Afghanistan that would not hesitate that it will face security and economic chaos after the pull-out of NATO forces. But unfortunately, we are still highly dependent on the international community for maintaining our development and moving towards stability and long term peace. Indeed, stability in Afghanistan can prevail if international support to this country continues and does not stop with the withdrawal of NATO troops.
Afghanistan requires formulation of better national and foreign policies and decision makings that are in the best of interest of Afghans. In addition, there is a need for an overall institutional reform aimed at improving transparency and accountability. All and all, it is our government that must plan to make uses of the opportunities available to it by learning from its past mistakes and mistakes of the ex-governments of Afghanistan.
The security has gone deteriorating. Meanwhile the government has not had any significant achievement in fight against corruption, social injustice, poppy cultivation and poverty etc, although it has had significant financial and non-financial support from the international community. Therefore, it remains a grave concern that the condition would improve when the world reduces its role here in the coming years.