Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Head of UNU-CPR’s Conflict Prevention and Sustaining Peace Research Programme, Erica Gaston, commented on the evolving international approach to Afghanistan five years after the Taliban returned to power. While the Taliban Government remains largely unrecognized internationally, a growing number of countries are engaging with it on issues ranging from trade and regional connectivity to security and migration.
Gaston explains that this engagement increasingly reflects a pragmatic acceptance of political realities. Afghanistan's neighbours were among the first to adopt this approach, but Gaston notes that a wider range of countries are now coming to terms with the Taliban's continued rule and the need for practical engagement.
The article was published in several international media outlets, including New Straits Times, France 24 and The Japan Times.
