The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 marked a significant turning point in the country’s history. Under the Taliban rule, Afghanistan has experienced a dramatic transformation in a number of areas, most notably foreign relations and foreign policy, women and minority rights, women’s education, security, border management, trans-Afghan trade, and the drug trade.

Two years later, in order to have a successful and mutually beneficial engagement with Afghanistan, it is important to understand the intricacies of these key areas and thoroughly analyze the impact of the IEA’s statements and actual ground realities. In this Tabadlab Policy Roundtable (TPR), we will delve into each of these areas, separate political statements and fiction from facts, and provide recommendations on how these elements affect and inform engagement with the IEA for a stable and prosperous Afghanistan.

Panel

• Richard Ponzio, Director Global Governance, Justice and Security Program, Stimson Center
• Kate Bateman, Senior Expert on Afghanistan, U.S. Institute of Peace
• Margherita Stancati, Correspondent for The Wall Street Journal
• Iftikhar Firdous, Founding Editor, Khorasan Diary
• Haroun Rahimi, Assistant Professor of Law, American University of Afghanistan
• Zeeshan Salahuddin – Director, Center for Regional and Global Connectivity, Tabadlab