Opportunities and challenges facing National Unity Government

President Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, in his inauguration, has presented a hopeful speech about the program of formation in all sections for the nation. The strength in his voice expressed his determination to rebuild the country’s extensive and pervasive problems. Here we will face some fundamental problems that the new government should list in its priorities, which we can call those challenges as opportunities. We can also call them challenges for the president:

Peace and Security

At this time, more than anytime else, Afghans need peace and security, more than 95% of the war losses in Afghanistan are direct losses of Afghan citizens, and everyday Afghans become orphans and lose the supporters of their families. They become disable and faces many other damages. In both cases, either Taliban are killed or Afghan Police and Afghan National Army are killed, Afghan families face losses and casualties. Reconstruction is not possible in war. On one hand, if there are reconstruction projects going on; on the other hand, there is a destruction going on. Meritocracy is not possible in war condition. The needs of combat may cause spread of corruption. Existence of war increases the financial expenses of state, which in the lack of war the state can spend the mentioned budget on reconstruction.

Peace and security are reflected in the messages of the president, but without any type of determination of signs and notifications about peace and security. President Karzai also spoke of peace during his government and he established the High Peace Council for the purpose of peace, but it did not succeed for the peace process. The factor of the failure of the High Peace Council was that it was not able to act as an independent institution, and it was always taking the side of the government in the peace process. The second factor was that instead of negotiating with the Taliban’s leaders and finding fundamental solutions through negotiation, the High Peace Council was encouraging the Taliban by providing them financial aid for putting weapons down. There are many cases that a single person has put his gun down for taking money from the Afghan Government, which caused the anger of the Taliban against the High Peace Council, as the result of which Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani lost his life. The office of Qatar was also established for negotiation with the Taliban, but it did not result at all, but it was used only for media advertising purposes. The government was moving toward its military policies against the Taliban, and the Taliban were blasting bombs in various parts of the country, which caused a high number of civilian casualties for Afghan people.

It is extremely important to know the new president’s policy about war and peace. Either he tries to work for establishment of an independent delegation that will bring the ideas of both the parties close to each other and sign a national agreement accepted by both sides, end the war and create a real national unity government, in which all the Afghan parties participate? Or he wants to exercise the previous failed experiences, in which they rely on war and provide the Taliban money to step back from the war?

The second way of solution for peace and war is already experienced and it showed its result, but the first way of solution may be useful. It will be useful if there are knowledgeable, and kind people in the board, their works and activities are revised, and there is no satisfaction only for the exchange of key personalities among the parties, but there should be members that all the involved parties trust them and those members should take care of all the aspects of the involved parties, bring the ideas of those parties close to each other, tries their best without taking test in the process, collect various classes of the community around themselves, and  bring an effective axis of peace to the country.

Economic Challenges

Afghanistan is a country that does not have the ability to provide its internal annual budget, which is approximately five billions dollar, and it gains the budget from international community. Unemployment rate reached its highest peak in the country, and approximately 80% of the officials and labors do not get enough salaries for fulfilment of their basic needs. The level between import and export of the country has a huge difference, and Afghanistan import more than 80% of its requirements from other countries. The U.N. distribute food for more than three millions Afghans. Production completely stopped in the country, it till now it improved very little. Annually there are more than fifty thousand Afghan Students graduated from universities, but there are no reasonable job opportunities available for them. In most of the country most of the people do not have access to basic healthcare services, therefore most of them lose their life. Most of the people do not have access to clean water, therefore they face various types of illnesses. Usages of chemical explosives, which cause diseases, also cause high level of cancer around the country. The government is not able to improve its GDP. In most of the cases minerals of the country are demined in an informal way that most of its incomes are not added to the treasure of the government..

While a nation cannot produce its own food, cannot be counted as honorable and independent nation among the nations. If Afghans want to be one of the respected nations around the country, they have to be financially independent. Afghans are hopeful for the new government that it will be able to pay an extreme attention to the economic condition of the country.

Good Governance

Afghanistan is extremely from corruption in governmental offices; most of the financial aid that is provided by international community in last thirteen years, has gone to the pockets of the governmental officials and international donors. All the mentioned budget was spent by foreigners, without any plan of the necessity of the country, which caused creation of mafia and other racketeer groups. Creation of parallel powers by the foreigners caused the weakness of the central government, so the central government was unable to build reasonable employment capacities in the government.

Currently Afghans are concerned that will be President Ashraf Ghani able to take reasonable actions for good governance and qualification based recruitment, will be he able to suppress mafia groups that are supported by the blood of people, and implement laws, and will be he able to give key positions that are qualified for those positions, or not?

The End