The Challenges to Nation-Building
in Afghanistan continues...

In societies like Afghanistan, where conflict has been controlled to a certain degree, ‘peace-building’ involves a complex process of negotiations, new challenges and opportunities for social transformation.

Peace-building comprises of various functions and roles and often entails a wide range of sequential activities, proceeding from cease-fire and refugee resettlement to the establishment of a new government and economic reconstruction. The end of violent conflict has to be accompanied by the building of physical infrastructure and the restoration of essential government functions that provide basic social services. It is accepted that in the long run, stability cannot be achieved without the participation of the former adversaries in a democratic political process and socio-economic reform.

Most reconstruction programmes in the post-Cold War era rely heavily on “democratic” institution-building and economic recovery through free-market-oriented policies. The international community has devised similar nation-building model for Afghanistan in the post 9/11 phase.

This model is extremely expensive and requires a huge commitment of money and personnel. The international community, though demonstrates the will to undertake nation-building, is not always able to figure out who should shoulder the burden. Moreover, the international community is an unwieldy entity with no single centre and lots of contradiction. It comprises the major world powers, with the
United States as the dominant agent in some situations and as a reluctant participant in others.

In Afghanistan, for instance, the US wants to have complete control over war operations but does not involve itself with peace-keeping activities like social empowerment, development or political transition. Meanwhile, the multilateral organizations that are bound by their mandates to play the dominant role in peace-keeping and state reconstruction, like the United Nations, are the weakest and most divided of all.

To be continued...