Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

After Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit

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After Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) ended on Thursday, June 8, with commitments that there will be efforts on the regional scale to fight terrorism and to enhance cooperation among the member states and other countries of the region in economic and security fields. A total of 10 agreements were adopted by the member states related to different fields, among which the most important one was a declaration on building a region with lasting peace and common prosperity, a strategic plan for medium-term development.

The declaration also contained SCO regulations on political and diplomatic measures and mechanisms of response to events jeopardizing regional peace, security and stability. Though the declarations seem promising, they would require real commitments to be converted to reality. The region, no doubt, faces many problems, among which economic infra-structure development and the security are the most dominant ones.

So, it is the need of time that the regional countries, depending on one another, strengthening their ties and depending to minimum on the Western supports, have to move towards development, which is one of the basic objectives of the formation of SCO.

For Afghanistan the SCO meeting had with itself certain expectations and some of them were addressed as well. Security and economic infra-structure development are the problems that have been haunting Afghanistan for a long time. Though international community has supported Afghanistan to a great extent to overcome these issues, it is yet to go a long way in this regard.

Moreover, after the announcement of International Security Assistance Force's (ISAF) decision to withdraw completely from Afghanistan in 2014, the challenges for Afghanistan seem to be immense. It needs to exert miraculous efforts to be able to maintain peace and tranquility in the country.

Nonetheless, some of the major powers in the world have already signed strategic partnership agreements (SPA) with the country, yet the need for support and assistance of regional countries is still very much valid and compulsory. Mentioning the same, President Karzai asked the member countries of the summit to play a role in Afghanistan. "Knowing this fact, I hope after this summit, member states will closely work with Afghanistan and Pakistan in the fight against terrorism and extremism… Peace in Afghanistan and its neighbors guarantees peace and prosperity in the entire region," He said.

He also hoped that SCO member states would come up with a comprehensive strategy on terrorism to support Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, the present government because of its incapacity to offer something worthwhile in the field of security, good governance and eradication of corruption and poppy cultivation has left a very limited margin for the foreign countries to believe in it.

As was expected President Karzai with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao after the summit on Friday, June 08, signed a joint declaration for establishing a strategic cooperation partnership. China is an emerging economic power in the world. Its role in Afghanistan is of great importance for the war-torn country, especially in the field of business and technology.

China is already investing in unearthing some of the mineral resources from Afghanistan, which can boost the mining sector of Afghanistan to a great extent. The strategic cooperation partnership between the two countries would make China play a larger role – expanding bilateral trade and investment and deepening the existing Sino-Afghan economic cooperation.

It would also be very much helpful for Afghanistan in the post-withdrawal era when the international forces would have withdrawn from the country. China, according to a statement from President Karzai's office, would pay about $ 23.8 million grant to Afghanistan during the current year.After withdrawal, Afghanistan would face two major challenges.

The first one is no doubt the security of the country which largely depends on the performance and maintenance of Afghan security forces. Even for the maintenance of the security forces Afghanistan would require about $ 4.1 billion. And it is not sure yet how that amount would be compensated. Though there have been announcements by certain countries, yet they are not enough to fulfill the requirements.

The second challenge for Afghanistan is no doubt its economy. Afghanistan would require almost a decade after 2014 so as to reach somewhere near the economic independency. The only hope is its mining sector and that would also require a complete infra-structure development and, undoubtedly, a decade of peace and stability.

Another important actor in the regional and international politics is Russia. Russia also promised to play a comprehensive role in Afghanistan, especially in the field of security. President Karzai also urged for a joint Afghan-Russian front against the terrorism.

The Russian President Vladimir Putin, referring to the development efforts by Russia for Afghanistan, said, "This refers both to the possibility of restoring what was done by the former Soviet Union, and to new projects." So far, Russia has supported in establishment of about 150 facilities in Afghanistan, and it can do much more, if the cooperation continues as promised.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that the reconstruction of the House of Russian Science and Culture in Kabul would begin this year. Pledging more scholarships to Afghan students for studies in Russia, he said, "We will continue to provide assistance in equipping Afghan security forces; it is our contribution to combat effectiveness and readiness of Afghan forces to control their country after the withdrawal of the international coalition." Moreover, there were commitments to strengthen the trade links between the two countries as well.

Though recently, there have been many promises and commitments made to improve the situation in Afghanistan both by national and international countries and organizations yet the facts and figures suggest that it would be very difficult for Afghanistan to tackle the situation after 2014.

There are many unresolved issues in the country that may give rise to instability and chaos soon after the international community withdraws from the country. The Western countries, at the moment, seem to seek a somewhat reputable exit policy, while the regional countries are more inclined to pursue individual interests. History has been the witness that Afghanistan has been used as a playground by international and regional countries to practice the games of politics and conflicts. The neighboring countries, in this regard can be blamed to a large extent.

They have never tried to see Afghanistan as a nation that is worth having development and better living standard. It is now time they have to be more responsible. Along with promises, they have to carry out practical measures and play the role of true and honest neighbors.

Dilawar Sherzai is the permanent writer of the Daily outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at dilawar.sherzai@gmail.com

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