The annual convenings of the United Nations, where world leaders and their delegates assemble, are often regarded as symbolic and generally lack significant resolutions or decisions. However, the official statements delivered by these leaders during these gatherings, and the undertones therein, offer profound insights into global political and security situations. Additionally, they illuminate crisis-ridden regions, shedding light on the perspectives of global and regional policymakers. From the subtle allusions and implications in their speeches to the requests and thinly veiled admonitions from certain quarters, concerns, prospects, and broader strategies can be discerned.
Regarding Afghanistan, the most conspicuous aspect was the universal consensus on the illegitimacy of the Taliban’s rule in the country. Consequently, virtually everyone underscored the necessity of establishing an alternative government as a prerequisite for legitimacy. This government must be capable of representing the diverse populace of Afghanistan, encompassing various ethnicities, political parties, and differing social orientations. There was unanimous agreement that the rule of an armed group with radical religious inclinations would not lead to peace and lasting stability, and its governance would be unacceptable to both the region and the world.
The current situation in Afghanistan presents both threats and opportunities. It poses a threat in the sense that the country fails to adhere to international norms and standards necessary for serving as a legitimate representative of its people on the global stage. This circumstance hinders foreign investment, human capital development, and other avenues for enhancing the lives and well-being of the Afghan population. The consequences of the current illegitimate rule manifest daily for many citizens, particularly women, who feel as though they are confined in a vast prison, constantly yearning for liberation.
Nevertheless, from another perspective, this situation also offers an opportunity. Given that no nation in the world is prepared to recognize the Taliban’s rule in its current form as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, it becomes imperative to channel all efforts toward constructing an alternative system. This system, even if it includes the Taliban, must operate as an all-inclusive and credible government, acceptable to the nation’s inhabitants and external nations alike. The time has come for all stakeholders to concentrate their endeavors on charting the course for the future governance of the country.
To construct this prospective system, it is imperative to address the consequences of four decades of conflict and the missteps of the preceding two decades of republicanism. The foundation must be laid for a military establishment capable of meeting the contemporary needs of the nation. It is of no consequence who leads or which faction assumes control, or even what titles are conferred. What genuinely matters is the establishment of a constitutional framework that garners the approval of the populace, with limitations on the powers of the ruling authorities and mechanisms that empower the people to scrutinize and hold their leaders accountable. This framework should create avenues for citizen participation in the governance of the nation at various levels. The consolidation of authority, which precipitates dictatorship and obstructs popular governance, must be resolutely averted. Government powers at diverse levels should be allocated in a manner that precludes the possibility of autocracy, tyranny, or suppression.
