Will Afghanistan's New President Depart from "Business as Usual" in the Extractives Sector?
[Facilitator's note: With thanks to Katarina Kuai, Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), for sharing her blog post with us.]
"With the 2014 presidential election finally settled, Afghanistan could be on the verge of its so-called 'transformational decade' -- one focused on peace and development, following more than 13 years as a ward, more or less, of the international community and a frontline for the "war on terror" that has played out in the region.
"One man and the unity government he is at this moment forging will bear much of the responsibility for changing Afghanistan’s course. What can Afghans and the world expect of Dr. Ashraf Ghani, newly inaugurated president of Afghanistan? In one narrow but strategic area—the management of Afghanistan’s considerable mineral and hydrocarbon wealth—President Ghani’s record on the campaign trail and off has generated high expectations. But what actions should follow? Here, I briefly examine these expectations and suggest actions that could signal the Ghani administration’s commitment to resource governance in Afghanistan."
Read the full blog post by Katarina Kuai, a capacity development officer who also leads NRGI's work in Afghanistan.
"With the 2014 presidential election finally settled, Afghanistan could be on the verge of its so-called 'transformational decade' -- one focused on peace and development, following more than 13 years as a ward, more or less, of the international community and a frontline for the "war on terror" that has played out in the region.
"One man and the unity government he is at this moment forging will bear much of the responsibility for changing Afghanistan’s course. What can Afghans and the world expect of Dr. Ashraf Ghani, newly inaugurated president of Afghanistan? In one narrow but strategic area—the management of Afghanistan’s considerable mineral and hydrocarbon wealth—President Ghani’s record on the campaign trail and off has generated high expectations. But what actions should follow? Here, I briefly examine these expectations and suggest actions that could signal the Ghani administration’s commitment to resource governance in Afghanistan."
Read the full blog post by Katarina Kuai, a capacity development officer who also leads NRGI's work in Afghanistan.