Can Afghanistan Improve American and Regional Prosperity?

The Trump administration has been clear that its America First foreign policy prioritizes making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. However, it has not articulated how those objectives apply to Afghanistan policy beyond expressing priority interests in countering terrorism and securing the release of American detainees. But is there a viable way for Afghanistan to make both America and the region more prosperous?

Afghanistan is recognized for its vast array of critical mineral resources and its location at the crossroads of South and Central Asia and Chinese trade routes. If changes in Iran lead to an easing of sanctions, Afghanistan could become an important conduit for regional trade and energy. The problem is that the Taliban remain more focused on ideology and political repression, leaving them internationally isolated. Since the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan’s economy has shrunk by a third, border tensions have increased, and the education system has been systematically reoriented to privilege Islamic ideology.

On July 9, the Center for the National Interest, in partnership with the University of South Florida and the U.S. Institute of Peace, hosted an expert discussion on what steps are needed for Afghanistan to become a driver of regional economic growth.

—Jeff Grieco is the President and CEO of the Afghanistan American Chamber of Commerce, and has just visited Kabul for discussions with Afghan businesspeople and the Taliban about the state of business in Afghanistan.

—Scott Worden is Director of Afghanistan and Central Asia Programs at the U.S. Institute of Peace and focuses on regional politics and integration.

—Adib Farhadi is Associate Professor and Faculty Director of Executive Education at the University of South Florida, and formerly served as the Executive Director of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy and Deputy/Acting Minister of Commerce and Trade.

Andrew Kuchins, Senior Fellow at the Center for the National Interest and an expert on the international relations of Russia, Central Asia, and Eurasia, moderated the discussion.