Publication Date: November 2019

Publisher: Alliance for Peacebuilding

The ongoing violent conflict in Afghanistan is not a war that can be won militarily; there must be a political process with support from Afghanistan’s civil society to reach an enduring peace.

There have been numerous attempts at peace negotiations between the United States and the Taliban that have fallen short because they excluded key stakeholders, ignored the drivers of violent conflict, failed to take a whole-of-society approach, and addressed the need for compliance and monitoring of peace efforts. Any political agreement must ensure democratic fundamental principles are integrated, including human rights, gender equality, and inclusion, and legitimate stakeholders must be included in the process. Additionally, any agreement must address the drivers of violent conflict and include a third-party monitoring system and enforcement mechanism.