Afghanistan’s Reconstruction Regional and Country Context a Discussion Paper

Afghanistan’s reconstruction is an immense challenge – for the people and government of Afghanistan and no less so for the world community. More than two decades of war and displacement have had destructive and corrosive effects throughout the country and in all aspects of life. Moreover, conflict and institutional erosion have gone on for so long that they have become entrenched, giving rise to incentives and interest groups that are not easy to change. As the Afghan government has convincingly argued, Afghanistan’s reconstruction therefore must be comprehensive, bold, and resultsoriented – involving security, political, economic, and social aspects. There are important regional dimensions as well: just as the conflict in Afghanistan negatively affected the surrounding countries, post-conflict reconstruction brings opportunities for regional development and greater integration.