2020 Afghanistan Conference due to be held in Switzerland
The 2020 Afghanistan Conference, organized by Afghanistan, Finland and the United Nations (UN) will be held today in Geneva, Switzerland.
The conference will renew and affirm Afghan and international commitments in developing and stabilizing Afghanistan by creating joint development goals through 2024 and coordinating financial assistance. A joint political declaration is expected to be issued, and new structures created to help financial aid work effectively throughout the country.
The outcome of this conference has continued to be of paramount importance for the development of Afghanistan in both the short and medium term. Since the situation in the country has significantly transformed with peace talks begining with the Taliban, strong financial aid commitments from the international community would assuage fears within Kabul of a political breakdown once US troops pull out.
However, there are worries that low donor commitment and unrealistic political requirements will hurt Afghan faith in their new government and any economic or political reform efforts they lead. Due to the global recession caused by COVID-19 and the ongoing nature of the Taliban peace talks, it is likely donors will keep purse strings tight, especially since past donations have fallen short of pledged amounts.
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