Negotiating Peace in Afghanistan: What Is the Role of the International Community?

Negotiating with the Taliban is a prerequisite for withdrawal of foreign troops and long-term stability in Afghanistan, according to Afghanistan: Negotiating Peace, a recent report by the Century Foundation. But a deal with the Taliban may be unacceptable to most of the Afghan population, given their current and past abuses against civilians, particularly women, minorities, and certain political groups.

While the report recommends independent international mediation in reconciliation efforts, the future role of the United Nations, international security forces, and donors remains uncertain. The report calls for hard compromises for peace, but will these compromises erode hard-fought rights protections, and in the process, further undermine the legitimacy of international involvement in Afghanistan?

A recent event looked at the challenges to successful reconciliation and the roles of the international community and Afghan civil society in peace negotiations. Speakers additionally addressed concerns about rights protection, particularly women’s rights.

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