Major necessities of Afghanistan’s future foreign policy

Since each country in the current international system needs interactions, assistances and mutual relation, Afghanistan as country in third world with low position in the ranking also need interactions and assistances with other countries.

Historically, Afghanistan had a significant role in international politics and still has. In Ghaznavi era, Balkh, Herat and Ghazni were capitals of civilizations. In Duran era the core of foreign Afghan policy was defense of Indian Muslims, which had deep influence on Indian politics and affected the British colonialism. In early 19 century, along with Tipu Sultan of Mysore and Napoleon of France organized movements against British colonialism and in the same century make itself for involvement in significant global politics and Big Game.

During the first and second world wars, Afghanistan chose a policy which lately reflected in Jawaharlal Nehru and Chu In Lai non-alignment. Also played a significant role during the cold war that saved the world from the fear of war and still plays important role in the today international system.

This short background shows that Afghanistan during the history had an active foreign policy and when has been incapacitated fought for achieving it again.

During the different eras, had various bases, but the important and common one is non-alignment. Now and when for the first time the power being transforming from the elected president to another, the coming government’s foreign policy is related directly to his success.

Afghanistan’s future foreign policy

Afghanistan is located in the strategic region, where the fight over control of energy resources is going on, new ways on silk routes are under consideration, and the balance of power transforming from the west to this region; on the other hand the country beside of dealing with other countries involved with its neighbors. For balancing all these, a concrete foreign policy is needed. A foreign policy is needed that beside of building constructive interactions with the world, protect the country from foreign interventions and negative impacts of some countries over Afghanistan. Afghan foreign policy must be empowered in the following areas.

1. The need of expansion of relation with different countries:

During the first and second world wars, the conditions of world politics and diplomacy were strict, also during the cold war as well the countries were not prone to the either of blocks and were challenged by a difficult decision. But these countries had not only these two options, but during the cold war, India, China, Indonesia and other countries had beside the options of two blocks (U.S and USSR) the non-alignment movement. Therefore Afghanistan must not have the only one option and relay on that.

It is worth noting that in these both process the countries were to ally with one of the sides in order to protect their interests. If we look at the foreign policy of Afghanistan during the cold war, Afghanistan was joined one of the sides; during the cold war with Russia and now with US. Again the circumstances of the cold war and its last decade are different from today. During the cold war we were to join the Russia’s side, and we did not accept the recommendation of the national Jirga to not rely only on one side, but have the support of both blocks. With intervention of the U.S in Afghanistan the world had just one hegemonic superpower the United States of America; therefore the decision makers were relying on America’s assistance or were not capable to release themselves from the circle of the superpower’s mastery.

But now, when the majority of the nation rejected the strategic agreement with America, but for those who want it for economic assistance must be said that in the today international politics, BRIC or Brazil, Russia, India and China countries are emerged, and Russia challenged the unipolar system, China is the second strong economy which will take over the first economic position, India and Turkey are superpowers of their regions, therefore in accordance with our national interests, we must not stay in the circle of US’ pivot.

2. A foreign policy relied on mutual interests

The relation based on mutual interests is more sustainable. Afghanistan must strengthen and deepen its relation with those has mutual interests. With Pakistan for instance if we work together on TAPI or silk routes or other transit ways to central Asia might cause empowerment of Afghanistan’s economy on the one hand and encouragement of the neighbouring countries for playing a constructive role in Afghanistan on the other hand. 

With Iran and India as well on the Chah Bahar port or transit of energy from Iran to China, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan and China gas pipeline, or central Asian countries cooperation in electricity all can be mention as examples.

3. Non-alignment once again

In today regional and international politics, when the world paves the way towards multipolar system, we must build constructive relation with all these new emerging superpowers. But also there some countries as well that having deep relations can be considered as breaking the balance, for instance India or Pakistan, Iran or Saudi Arabia, and America or China and Russia.

In the last decades it became clear that whenever our option has been limited to one, Afghanistan faced proxy wars. The attacks on Indian consulates or killing of Indian nationals on the one hand or extreme negative propaganda against Pakistan after the civil war in the country or US entrance to Afghanistan could be visual examples of these proxy wars.

Therefore, that is not suitable for Afghanistan to be in the one side, because the circumstances here are in an indirect proportion and friendship with one part causes hostility with the other one. So the non-alignment with all sides must be applied in order to protect our interests and state.

4. Increasing the soft power of Afghanistan

Afghanistan has a soft power in the region and in the world Islamic community, which has routes in our history, literature and the religion. We must empower our soft power in the region and in the world Islamic community. For instance rebuilding the historic places of Ghazni, Herat and Bamyan to pave the way for the regional tourists; and researches conduct about our poets views who have deep influence on the people in our neighboring countries like Turkey, Iran and Pakistan.   

5. Economic diplomacy

According to Jan Tinbergen a world economy theorist’s theory; the gravity equation of international trade, which has been succeeded during the past few decades, however the geographic distances between countries might be closer the trade level is high. Therefore that is necessary to increase the trade level of Afghanistan with its neighbors.

The trade is one of the cores of the economy, since we are backward in the field of trade, we must increase the export of dried fruits and other agrarian products which are the core of our international exports. We must formalize our relation with the neighboring countries and India and Russia in order to stabilize our economy as well.