Why did international attempts to resolve the conflict in Afghanistan, pre September 11th, fail? How relevant are traditional conflict analysis and resolution practices to the Afghan conflict? Should new approaches go beyond traditional diplomacy to influence the complex systems and structures that generate and sustain violent conflict? The conflict in Afghanistan is neither inter-state nor is it civil war. Rather, it is part of a complex regional conflict system that is little understood.

Research by the University of Manchester/INTRAC examined international attempts to resolve the conflict (pre September 11th) and in particular diplomatic efforts by the UN. Interventions should be based on sophisticated, rigorous analysis yet this is often not the case. The nature of the conflict in Afghanistan has changed over the years. It has historic roots but the factors driving the conflict are relatively new and involve Afghan and non-Afghan actors in trans-national religious, political and trade networks, including the massive economy surrounding based on narcotics and contraband. Many benefit from Afghanistan’s well-established ‘war economy’. Improved analysis and responses should be based upon a deeper appreciation of the complex linkages between the local, national and international levels and the incentive systems of the actors involved at each level.

Research findings include:

• Conventional diplomacy had limited success because it failed to address the agendas of non-state entities who have little interest in the traditional diplomatic sticks and carrots offered by the international community.
• Since the Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan the overall Western policy response has been one of strategic containment or an aggressive single issue focus on terrorism or narcotics. Such a policy deflected attention away from the underlying systems and structures that drove the Afghan conflict.
• UN peace-making efforts did not receive sufficient political or financial backing from member states so that the credibility and capacity of the UN has always been limited.
• UN member governments’ analyses of the conflict are strongly influenced by their own political and strategic interests.
• Rapid turnover of UN staff makes individual and institutional learning difficult, compounded by the fact that UN staff have for the most part been stationed outside of Afghanistan.

Long-term commitment is clearly needed from the international community. Policy recommendations include:

• The conflict resolution process must be broadened so that it occurs simultaneously at three different levels: at an international level to influence state and non-state actors; at a national level to help rebuild state structures; and at local levels to support non-warring groups within civil society.
• External investment is needed to transform the war economy into a peace economy.
• Governance structures must be rebuilt to include and represent different sections of Afghan society.
• Relationships between state and society need rebuilding to also include civil society groups.

Source(s):
'Peace making in the new world disorder: a study of the Afghan conflict and attempts to resolve it', Peace Building and Complex Political Emergencies Working Paper Series #7 by Matthew Fielden and Jonathan Goodhand, December 2000

Funded by: Department for International Development, UK

id21 Research Highlight: 8 November 2001

Further Information:
Matthew Fielden
Development Studies Institute
London School of Economics and Political Science
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 7955 6054
Fax: +44 (0)20 7955 6844
Contact the contributor: m.b.fielden@lse.ac.uk

London School of Economics, UK

Jonathan Goodhand
INTRAC
PO Box 563
Oxford OX2 6RZ
UK

Tel: +44 (0)1865 201 851
Fax: +44 (0)1865 201 852
Contact the contributor: 113134.2114@compuserve.com

INTRAC, UK

Other related links:
'Punching above their weight? NGOs as builders of peace'

'Holy war to opium war? Adapting to globalisation'

'Understanding conflict: are international NGOs out of their depth?'

Eldis looks at conflict and development with the aim of understanding the Afghan crisis

Visit the Post-Conflict Reconstruction Unit at the World Bank

See the Centre for Concflict Resolution for further research

See also the Department of Peace Studies for related research