|
|
 |
|
|
CPI Central Asia Newsletter
April 2002 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
We are pleased to present the third newsletter for CPI Central Asia, informing our users of the latest developments on the website.
The Conflict Prevention Initiative (CPI) internet portal on Central Asia was launched by the Harvard Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) in December 2001 to offer reliable and updated news and analysis on the political, humanitarian and security situation in the region.
Since its launch, the portal has attracted over 1,000 users, including policy makers, representatives of the United Nations, local and international NGOs and the academic community.
The Central Asia internet portal also hosts E-Conferences, the most recent of which will take place in a week, from April 29-May 10.
|
|
| |
| |
"Securing Communities for Reconstruction in Afghanistan" - Summary of interviews and discussions with community and NGO leaders
The Harvard Program organized a series of meetings with Afghans in Kabul and Peshawar in March/April 2002 on securing communities for reconstruction. In Kabul, the Program conducted a series of interviews as well as group discussions with community leaders. In Peshawar, HPCR hosted a two-day roundtable discussion with 15 leaders of Afghan non-governmental organizations.
To view the summary of these discussions, which include critical recommendations, please click here or visit the Policy section of the portal.
This report will constitute a starting point for the first ever online e-conference on enhancing security in Afghanistan, to be held on the Central Asia portal's conference pages. For more information on the e- conference, please see "Coming soon" below.
|
| |
| |
E-Conference on Afghanistan to commence in one week!
Following the series of consultations and roundtable discussions with Afghan civil society leaders in Kabul and Peshawar, the Harvard Program is hosting a ground-breaking e-conference on Afghanistan.
The conference, "Securing communities for reconstruction in Afghanistan," will take place on the Central Asia portal on April 29-May 10. This unique forum aims to spark a dialogue among Afghan civil society representatives, community leaders as well as the Afghan diaspora, the international aid and policy communities, scholars and international experts.
Following the e-conference, the Program will publish a conference report on the outcome of the discussion and will post it on the Central Asia portal in English, Dari and Pashtu.
Why hold an e-conference on Afghanistan now?
Many agree that Afghan civil society's involvement with the Loya Jirga process should remain its principal preoccupation. The Harvard Program concurs that there are no alternative processes to promote political and social stability in the near future in Afghanistan.
The engagement of Afghans intellectuals and field practitioners must mean more than watching from the sidelines as the members of the Loya Jirga convene and discuss Afghanistan's political future. The Loya Jirga should be, fundamentally, a process of democratization, of generating civil society involvement in the political life, and engaging Afghans themselves in the conversation about their future. Sustainable peace in Afghanistan can only be the result of many conversations, occurring simultaneously in multiple forums and in many parts of the country.
In this context, bringing civil society actors together, giving them a voice, allowing the reconstruction policy to be "owned" by Afghans everywhere is the aspiration of the Harvard Program. This objective is being supported through field consultations, on-line international exchanges, and policy development. It is about energizing democracy through conversation and engagement. The forthcoming e-conference is a unique opportunity to meet this objective.
Updated Policy Brief on Humanitarian Aid in Afghanistan
Following the March publication of our latest policy brief "Afghanistan: A New Era of Humanitarian Assistance" - the first critical analysis on the new phase of humanitarian aid efforts in Afghanistan - the Program will now update the paper with the latest information and comments received from a range of Afghan and international players. We would like to thank all of you who have provided us with valuable feedback.
To see the current version of the policy brief, please click here or visit the Policy section of the portal.
To submit your comments, please send us an email at cpi_hpcr@hsph.harvard.edu
|
| |
| |
Issue Articles
Since mid March, we have added over 400 new articles to the Central Asia portal. The database now contains over 2,200 documents.
Under "Selected Documents" on the homepage, you can find a selection of the latest political, economic and humanitarian papers. Documents include a Q & A on Afghanistan's Loya Jirga process by Human Rights Watch, a compilation of remarks made during the World Bank Implementation Group Meeting in Kabul on April 10/11, an analysis by The Economist on the return of the king, and the latest OCHA earthquake situation report from Afghanistan.
If you wish to submit documents to CPI for posting on the Central Asia portal, please write to cpi_hpcr@hsph.harvard.edu or go to Contact Us
Resources
CPI has categorized the links in the Resources section to now make it easier for users to find more information on Afghanistan and Central Asia.
|
| |
|
