2018-02-28

Guest Lecture on International and Regional Cooperation in Afghanistan by Scott Smith (UNAMA)

On 28 February Mr. Scott Smith, Political Affairs Department Director and Mr. Maciej Dachowski, Political Affairs Officer of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) paid a visit to the OSCE Academy to deliver a lecture to the MA students and to discuss chances for cooperation with the Academy management. Mr. Smith talked about the UNAMA activities in Afghanistan, the “Heart of Asia” process and its importance, the need for strategic adjustments of the international involvement in Afghanistan in the coming years as well as and the significance of the Central Asian region in furthering international cooperation with Afghanistan.

Following the lecture students asked Mr. Smith and Mr. Dachowski about the relevance of Pakistan in the “Heart of Asia” process the problem of corruption and ways to solve it, the (in)efficiency of donor aid as well as the questionable role of too many foreign actors in in Afghan affairs and chances to ‘hand’ the responsibility for the stabilization and development of the country to the local and regional communities.