Afghanistan Weekly

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Afghanistan Weekly

1.5 years after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, the country has seen a sharp and devastating decline in all aspects of human life. Meanwhile, the sudden withdrawal of US and allied forces from Afghanistan created an opportunity for other regional actors to step in and fill the void by acting as major investors, donors, or strategic, business, and energy partners with Afghanistan's new ruling class.

"Afghanistan Weekly Monitor" follows and documents the most recent developments in Afghanistan's relations with its neighboring states, including the five Central Asian countries, China, and Iran, as well as broader developments in the Eurasian landscape that affect the country's economic and socio-political future.

Friction over Railroads on the Afghan-Uzbek Border; India Renews Aid to Afghanistan; Flow of Drugs Troubles Tajikistan; 100+ Afghan Girls Begin Studies at Central Asian Universities. /05.02.2023

_{Afghan-Uzbek border crossing at Hairatan, 2016. Image source: AFP}

This past week, a cooperative railroad agreement between Afghan and Uzbek railway companies broke down, India announced continued financial assistance to Afghanistan, Tajikistan spoke out about the problem of narcotics smuggling radiating from its southern borders, and a new group of Afghan girls have begun their post-primary studies in Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Uzbek universities as part of a joint EU-Central Asia educational program.

: 05 February 2023

EU-Central Asia Meeting on Afghanistan; Kazakhstan Backs Afghan Education Program; Afghanistan’s Kyrgyz Plead For Rescue; Afghan & Uzbek Row Over Energy; China & Taliban Strengthen Ties. /29.01.2023

_{Image source: MFA of Kazakhstan}

This past week, a multilateral meeting of Central Asian and European Union representatives was held to address the future of strategy, outreach, and humanitarian support toward Afghanistan, Kazakhstan stated its continued dedication to a program of higher education for Afghan students in Central Asia, ethnic Kyrgyz families in Afghanistan beseeched the government of Kyrgyzstan to repatriate them to their ancestral homeland, Afghanistan & Uzbekistan verbally clashed over the supply of electricity, and the Chinese foreign minister held a call with his Afghan counterpart to discuss China’s concerns and commitments.

: 29 January 2023