Security in Afghanistan can only be achieved through regional integration, regionalism, and regional consensus.
Author: Abdul Naser Noorzad, security and geopolitics researcher, especially for Sangar
In the approach of regional cooperation and interaction to solve the problem of Afghanistan, dealing with the increasing security threats that have threatened the security of the entire region, political and security consensus, meaningful regionalism and convergence with the roots of the interests of the stakeholders, is considered an urgent necessity.
Fighting challenges such as terrorism, religious extremism, drugs, illegal immigration, opportunities like political stability and trying to gain opportunities to turn Afghanistan into a transit point for economic prosperity is possible only in the form of regional consensus. In this article, the intention is to find a possible solution for the problem of Afghanistan, which has been involved in violence for more than four decades, by examining the possibility of creating a regional consensus and creating a platform for convergence in the political, economic, security and cultural fields.
The fact that, until now, the region has used the interaction and security arrangement regarding Afghanistan. So far, the institutionalized policies to eliminate instability in the region, where Afghanistan has become the focus of regional players, while, in fact, it has not been carried out in a systematic manner.
So far, even the logic of regionalism, regional convergence and the formation of a regional consensus based on which, first, peace and political stability in Afghanistan will be ensured, and in the second step, all the grounds and bases of de-security that probably originate from Afghanistan will be tackled, has not spoken and the region has not shown interest in it.
In general, the three terms of regionalism, regional consensus and regional convergence, among the basic components to propose a sustainable solution to ensure stability and peace in Afghanistan, should be considered a priority. Because the problem of terrorism that has faced serious threats in the region, drugs that are considered as a source of income for political instability, insecurity and financing of terrorism, separatism that is the cause of instability and proxy wars and confronting religious extremism which is trying to disrupt the order and security of the region, it has not been looked at from the perspectives of convergence, regional consensus and regionalism.
Regionalism is the existence of governments that have common interests and put military, political and economic cooperation on the agenda through regional organizations. This concept was more popular during the Cold War due to its security and political meaning, but now economic interests and profitable financial programs are on its agenda.
Regional convergence, in fact, is a consensus on important issues and a collective effort to solve them, which creates a favorable environment for regional stability and peace. And the regional consensus implies a situation where due to the existence of security, political and economic threats, equal opportunities in these fields, the governments must agree on principles. In this sense, consensus means an internal consensus to prevent the acuteness of crises that may have sources from extra-regional factors.
But in the meantime, the concept of convergence is more than a goal, it is a process, one side of which is economic integration, and the other side is political union and the adoption of common procedures in foreign and security policies, rather than countries confined in one geography, in the direction of meaningful involvement. They work on a process and based on a mechanism that provides collective and all-round benefits.
But in Afghanistan, has the process of regional convergence, regional security consensus, and regionalism in its realistic sense found its possibility and proper platform?
To find the right answer to this question, we must first examine the existing situation in the region, the intentions and goals of the regional powers and the factors that cause the implementation or non-implementation of this process. Since the threats in the region are usually of a security nature and the political and economic parameters also influence it, we should investigate and discuss the direct role of the regional powers in this process in an interventionist manner.
- First, the region should make a meaningful intervention with the aim of ensuring security and stability in the region in a regular and common security, political and economic framework. That is, taking into account the challenges in the relations between regional players, the aspect of providing stability and security in Afghanistan is far more meaningful and important. This work is possible due to the importance and influence of the regional organizations that contain all the powers of the region. For example, the Shanghai Organization, in which China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, India and other prominent regional players are present, can be considered as a common umbrella of understanding and cooperation in the field of ensuring peace and stability in the region and especially in Afghanistan;
- Trying to mature a stable political order in Afghanistan that provides regional collective interests and regional governments share common interests and believe in common struggle against security, political and economic threats. At the same time, designing a successful political model at the regional level that prevents all countries in the region from following it, trying to curb the challenges that disrupt political stability at the regional level and apart from the specific geographical location, the strong role of cultural, economic and diplomatic diplomacy. Creating grounds for ending security competition and replacing it with economic one, which will improve the security, political and economic situation;
- Striving for economic convergence, which can be a platform for economic prosperity in the region, centered on Afghanistan. Transit, required energy such as electricity and fuel raw materials, food materials, to create consumer markets in order to create a stable regional economic order. Creating a common market, striving for a common currency, free trade, removing excessive customs tariffs, encouraging multinational investment in the form of economic giants, trying to create political convergence in the form of economic and cultural diplomacy. It is only in this way that Afghanistan reaches peace and stability;
- Security convergence within the framework of prominent security organizations, agreements related to it, which lays the foundation for curbing the increasing security threats in the region. Connecting security networks in regional countries, creating a joint security coordination unit among regional countries, launching joint security and military exercises, forming a multinational peacekeeping force, trying to curb security challenges in a multilateral process are considered urgent needs. Because the challenges facing Afghanistan and the subsequent region are multi-faceted and have large trans-regional dimensions, a collective solution is needed to solve them. Terrorism, like its disruptive nature, can cause regional convergence and create the ground for security and strategic alliances and coalitions. Also, determining military agendas to deal with possible situations of security threats, the regular method of using multinational military forces consisting of countries in the region, will create the ground for stability and security in Afghanistan and the region. In terms of security consensus, it should be stated that there is no sustainable solution to ensure stability in Afghanistan and subsequently in the region, until the region does not roll up its sleeves and take the initiative. Afghanistan needs a multinational peacekeeping force from the region and especially the Shanghai Pact before reaching a state of moderation and establishing political order and stability.
Prominent regional powers such as Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, India and powerful economic, political and security structures can rely on the structured method of regional consensus, regional convergence and regionalism with meaning, against challenges and Security threats from Afghanistan, fight and confront meaningfully. Since this process is multilateral, it excludes any extra-regional intervention to pursue security agendas and is a guarantee to ensure peace and stability in the region. In the discussion, three concepts have been mentioned that the region has regained its economic prosperity, achieved political stability and can better deal with threats.
