Southwest Asia

In 2013 and 2014, the EastWest Institute is organizing a series of high-level consultations to address regional economic security issues in Afghanistan post-2014, also known as the Abu Dhabi Process. By convening high level representatives of governments, parliaments and the private sector from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, China, U.A.E., United States and Europe, as well as from regional and international organizations, EWI intends to identify and promote opportunities for economic growth for both Afghanistan and the region. The first meeting, held in April 2013 in Istanbul, was centered on infrastructure issues.

The focus of the Islamabad meeting was be on Afghanistan’s potential to act as a transit route for energy supplies from Central Asia to energy markets in South Asia—a scenario with win-win potentials for many stakeholders. High-level representatives included Pakistan’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi; Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif; Advisor to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. Representatives from Afghanistan, Central Asia, India, U.A.E., Turkey, United States and EU drew from their experience.

The meeting was conducted under the Chatham House Rule with the participation of selected media.

Read the event's Summary and Recommendations report. 

Can Afghanistan’s unique location provide much needed economic stability after the 2014 withdrawal of the international forces? Could Afghanistan's role as the transit route between South West Asia and the Far East, combined with the potential of Central Asia's resources and South Asia's growth, increase economic prospects for the whole region? The EastWest Institute organized a series of high-level discussions to address these and other questions in a forum on Economic Security in post-2014 Afghanistan.

By bringing together high-level political representatives and business leaders from Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Central Asia, United Arab Emirates and Turkey, EWI is aiming to identify and promote opportunities for economic growth both in Afghanistan and the region—the “win-win” solutions for the economic security and stability in this part of the world. Over the next 18 months, the process focued on four major areas: infrastructure, energy, investment and water.

The inaugural talks in Istanbul, centered on the issue of infrastructure, included top level representatives of the Afghan government, parliament and private sector; Pakistan’s foreign secretary and business leaders; representatives from the Indian government and commerce; and deputy foreign ministers of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The U.S. and UN representatives for Afghanistan drew from their experiences, together with the representatives from Turkey, U.A.E., Germany, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, ECO and others. For more information, please see the meeting agenda here.

Read our event report.