Former Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah was recently named chairman of the newly established High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR), which will oversee the talks with the Taliban. The move ends a prolonged dispute over the 2019 presidential election results and has helped pave the way for the first-ever direct talks between representatives of the Taliban and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

USIP was pleased to host Dr. Abdullah for his first public event as chairman of the HCNR. Dr. Abdullah discussed preparations for negotiations with the Taliban, the key issues that need to be addressed, and what can be done to strengthen national unity and consensus on peace. His address was followed by a live question and answer session. 

Download the complete transcript

Speakers

His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, keynote address 
Chairman, High Council for National Reconciliation, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan 

The Honorable Nancy Lindborg, welcoming remarks
President & CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace

Dr. Andrew Wilder, moderator
Vice President, Asia Center, U.S. Institute of Peace

Related Publications

What’s Next for the U.N.’s Doha Process on Afghanistan?

What’s Next for the U.N.’s Doha Process on Afghanistan?

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

At the end of June, envoys and representatives from more than 25 countries and international organizations gathered in Doha, Qatar, along with representatives from the Taliban under an U.N.-facilitated framework. This meeting was the third of its kind, widely referred to as “Doha 3,” and part of a process to establish a more coordinated and coherent global approach to Afghanistan’s challenges and the Taliban’s rule.

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

How to Support Female Entrepreneurs in Afghanistan

How to Support Female Entrepreneurs in Afghanistan

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Potential areas of cooperation between the Taliban and the international community, such as private sector development and alternative livelihoods to now-banned opium poppy cultivation, will be on the agenda at a meeting of international envoys for Afghanistan hosted by the United Nations in Doha from June 30 to July 1. Discussions on women’s rights are not included, as the Taliban consider it an internal matter. This is ironic, given that the private sector is one area where the Taliban allow limited women’s participation.

Type: Analysis

EconomicsGender

As Taliban Poppy Ban Continues, Afghan Poverty Deepens

As Taliban Poppy Ban Continues, Afghan Poverty Deepens

Thursday, June 20, 2024

Afghanistan, historically the leading source of the world’s illegal opium, is on-track for an unprecedented second year of dramatically reduced poppy cultivation, reflecting the Taliban regime’s continuing prohibition against growing the raw material for opiates. The crackdown has won plaudits in international circles, but its full implications call for clear-eyed analysis and well considered responses by the U.S. and others. The ban has deepened the poverty of millions of rural Afghans who depended on the crop for their livelihoods, yet done nothing to diminish opiate exports, as wealthier landowners sell off inventories. The unfortunate reality is that any aid mobilized to offset harm from the ban will be grossly insufficient and ultimately wasted unless it fosters broad-based rural and agricultural development that benefits the most affected poorer households. 

Type: Analysis

Economics

View All Publications