Ambassadors Roundtable
February 20, 2008
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Summary
As part of the Ambassador Roundtable Series on International Collaboration to Combat Terrorism and Insurgencies, The Homeland Security Policy Institute and the International Center for Terrorism Studies co-hosted Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad, from Afghanistan, on February 20, 2008.
In his remarks, Ambassador Jawad noted that rather than being at a “tipping point,” Afghanistan is at a “turning point.” The greatest challenge to Afghanistan is building the capacity of the Afghan government to provide security and other services to its people. International initiatives should have an “Afghan face,” observed the Ambassador, rather than be driven by various political agendas of foreign nations. Additionally, more funds are necessary to build the capacity of the government, fight corruption, and create programs that keep knowledge about the rule of law within the country.
Because Afghanistan’s future has both regional and international dimensions, international partners should take a regional approach to stability in Afghanistan. Ambassador Jawad suggested, as an example, that Pakistan could integrate its Federally Administered Tribal Areas into its federal system, bringing governance and stability to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region that would positively affect governance and stability in Afghanistan. Looking inwards, the Ambassador also 
highlighted the successful reconciliation program to bring former Taliban militants back into Afghan society in order to build security. The program has over 6000 participants, but is drastically under-funded.
In response to HSPI Director Frank Cilluffo’s question, “What are the top priorities for the Afghan government?,” Ambassador Jawad listed two: primarily to continue building the Afghan National Army and Afghan National police to better serve the security needs of Afghan citizens, and secondarily to persuade the funding channels in the United States policy process to decouple the funding of Afghanistan and Iraq. Furthermore, if Afghanistan and the international community are able to synergize efforts towards stabilization, the results will have positive implications for global security for years to come.
Time Magazine Article on Event
Resources
On February 20th, 2008, the Homeland Security Policy Institute hosted Afghan Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad as part of the Ambassadors Roundtable Series. Below is a resource page where you will find some useful links to recent reports, relevant government agencies, maps and other useful information.
Recent Reports:
“Afghanistan Study Group Report: Revitalizing Our Efforts Rethinking Our Strategies,” Center for the Study of the Presidency (January 30, 2008).
Co-chaired by General James L. Jones, USMC (Ret.) and Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, the Study Group “focuses its attention on the future—analyzing the current situation with a view to what is needed to match our strategies with our goals and the required resources.” The Study Group addresses six issues: international coordination, security, governance and the rule of law, counter-narcotics, economic development and reconstruction, and Afghanistan and its neighbors.
“Afghanistan: Development and Humanitarian Priorities,” Oxfam (January 2008).
Oxfam focuses on the changes necessary to improve the “the impact, efficiency, relevance and sustainability of aid. There needs to be stronger coordination and more even distribution of aid, greater alignment with national and local priorities and increased use of Afghan resources. Indicators of aid effectiveness should be established, and a commission to monitor donor performance. Despite progress in some ministries, government capacity is weak and corruption is widespread, which is hindering service delivery and undermining public confidence in state building as a whole. Further major reforms are required in public administration, anti-corruption and the rule of law.”
“Afghanistan: The Need for International Resolve,” International Crisis Group (February 6, 2008).
The International Crisis Group calls for “troop contributing countries, including major NATO member states like Germany, France and Italy... to be prepared to deploy troops, with the required mandates, wherever in the country they are needed. All allies, including the U.S., must commit to genuine coordination mechanisms. Within Afghanistan efforts must focus on institution building, not individual Afghan players, and tackle a culture of impunity. The international community must also reassess strategic interests in the region, notably the need to address the Pakistan problem more realistically and to insulate Afghanistan as much as possible from the U.S.-Iran confrontation.”
News and Blogs:
Afghanistan’s Future is an in-depth, constantly updated report on current events in Afghanistan powered by BBC News.
Afghan Watch is a blog powered by The Century Foundation.
Afghanistan Conflict Monitor is part of the Human Security Report Project.
Pajwhok Afghan News based in Kabul (Registration Required).
Country Profile: Afghanistan by BBC News Online.
U.S. Policy:
Military Policy Awareness Links provide direct access to defense-related U.S. policy statements on selected key topics. MiPAL Afghanistan, which also contains links to maps.
Official Afghanistan Information Page at the U.S. Department of State.
Operation Enduring Freedom, U.S. Central Command
CIA World Factbook, Afghanistan
NATO/ISAF:
Official NATO in Afghanistan and International Assistance Force: Afghanistan websites, including an informational fact sheet.
The Guardian produced an excellent graphic of NATO troop distribution in Afghanistan as of February 2008.
Afghan Government:
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (Office of the President)
Includes Constitution
Afghanistan National Development Strategy
Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad
Ambassador Said T. Jawad serves as Afghanistan's Ambassador to the United States. Under his leadership, the Embassy of Afghanistan is emerging as one of the most successful missions in Washington, DC. He also serves as Afghanistan's non-resident ambassador to Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Mexico. A fluent speaker of English, French and German, Ambassador Jawad was educated at the Afghan French Lycée Esteqial and School of Law and Political Sciences at Kabul University and later at Westfaelische Wilhelms University in Muenster, Germany. He earned his MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, and subsequently, worked for a number of prominent law firms in the United States. Ambassador Jawad returned to Afghanistan after 9/11 to assist the country in its state-building process, where he played a versatile and crucial role in the government, serving as Presidential Press Secretary and Chief of Staff and Director of the Office of International Relations. In these positions, Ambassador Jawad formulated strategies, prioritized policies, and assisted in the re-building of national institutions (including the oft-praised Afghan National Army) as well as major reforms throughout Afghanistan, most notably to the Ministry of Defense. At this time, Ambassador Jawad also served as the president's principal liaison for the constitutional commission, throughout the drafting of the Afghan Constitution, and was instrumental in writing Afghanistan’s foreign investment laws. The ambassador has been equally active in his role as author, addressing issues relating to Afghanistan's politics, social development, and historic heritage. His op-eds and interviews have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time, the International Herald Tribune, Der Spiegel, Le Monde, The Guardian, Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Policy. Furthermore, Ambassador Jawad frequently appeared in major international media outlets such as NBC's "Meet the Press," CNN's "The Situation Room", Bloomberg's "Night Talk", the BBC, as well as CBS, MSNBC, Voice of America, Al Jazeera and Germany’s ZDF. Awards and honorary degrees granted to Ambassador Jawad include the Constitutional Loya Jirga Service Medal, Government of Afghanistan, 2003; Global Citizen Award, Roots of Peace, Washington, DC, 2008; Honorary Doctorate Degree in Organization Leadership, Argosy University, Washington, DC, 2007; and the Award of Merit for Rebuilding a Nation, ASEE, Washington, DC, 2007.
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The Ambassadors Roundtable Series is designed to provide Ambassadors to the United States and their key diplomatic staff with a forum to discuss current and future counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts on a regional or country-specific basis. In an effort to draw upon various insights and experiences, the Ambassadors Roundtable Series builds upon and institutionalizes efforts over the past two years to engage in a dialogue with members of the international community, policy makers, and practitioners.
