Roya Rahmani, who was ousted last month as Afghan Ambassador to the United States, said in her comments to the 2021 Aspen Security Forum on Aug. 3, that only a concerted hands-on approach by the international community can save Afghanistan. A repeat of measures that have been attempted earlier are not sufficient, she said. While it is the Afghans themselves who have to make the decisions, the international community has to be very much present and not on the sidelines.
She emphasized the fact that Pakistan, in particular, is very important in that respect, as only the Pakistanis can get the Taliban to the negotiating table. She was afraid, however, that stability in Afghanistan was not number one on the Pakistan agenda. She also said that there was a clear problem with corruption and infighting in the Afghan government. If a negotiated solution is found, there may also be a need for peace-keeping forces to be deployed.
