Natural Resources and Peacebuilding: Challenges and Opportunities in Afghanistan

22/10/2013

This article summarizes how natural resources, such as water, land, forests, and extractives can maximize peacebuilding opportunities in Afghanistan. It also reviews the linkages which exist between natural resources and peacebuilding and how Afghanistan can achieve sustainable peace through the appropriate use of natural resources. The last three decades of war and continuous insecurity have damaged the Afghan social fabric and government structures and have caused economic turmoil. Despite a huge amount of aid from the international community, Afghanistan is still struggling to achieve enduring peace and stability. There is fear that, once the international forces have left, Afghanistan will again become a battle field for regional powers. However, recent assessments of natural resources have made both the people of Afghanistan and the international community optimistic that their effective use could lead not only to economic, social, political and environmental growth, but also to sustainable peace.