In this presentation sponsored by OSI’s Central Eurasia Project, Joanna Nathan, Kabul-based senior analyst for the International Crisis Group, discussed the ICG report “Afghanistan s New Legislature: Making Democracy Work,” which covers the opening months of Afghanistan’s new National Assembly. Cassandra Cavanaugh, OSI regional director for Central Eurasia and the Caucasus, introduced the event.
The Assembly has been slow in developing, and greatly hindered by the virtual exclusion of political parties. However, it is likely the most diverse and representative body Afghanistan has ever had, and therefore has the potential to help integrate the country’s regions into a more cohesive, national government. It is crucial for the international community to support the Assembly’s development to help enhance the long-term prospects for stability in Afghanistan and the region.