Rapid Response: Afghanistan and the U.S. Withdrawal

Over the past few decades, the people of Afghanistan have experienced large-scale and ongoing violence and conflict, with the events of 2021 only adding to the turmoil and suffering. During this crisis related to the U.S. withdrawal and its aftermath, the Mittal Institute responded by developing programming with partner institutions around Harvard to bring timely, informed and expert-driven discussion to key issues impacting Afghanistan.

The Institute held several “rapid response” events throughout the year focused on regional and global implications of events in Afghanistan. The first program, “Implications: Regional Perspectives on the US Withdrawal from Afghanistan,” featured international journalists sharing their perspectives. The Mittal Institute also developed an “Afghanistan Resources” page on the Institute’s website to track ongoing relief efforts and provide community members with opportunities to help Afghan people in need.

Finally, in an effort to support experts and scholars in potential danger in the country, the Mittal Institute contributed to a stipend used to assist Fara Abbas–a specialist in Afghan security, peace, and development–with fleeing Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover and joining Harvard’s community on a one-year fellowship. Abbas served in senior government positions, representing Afghanistan in international negotiations and conferences. She served as a panelist on several of this year’s Afghanistan-focused events and also shared her experience with the Mittal community in an interview published on pages 16-17.

Events and Seminars

SEPTEMBER 2021 IMPLICATIONS: REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE US WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN Shirin Jaafari, Shubhanga Pandey, Nasim Zehra OCTOBER 2021 AFGHANISTAN’S NEXT TRANSITION: HOW WE GOT HERE, AND WHAT COMES NEXT Arvid Bell (Moderator) Fara Abbas, Philipp Ackermann, Anand Gopal NOVEMBER 2021 LEARNING IN DISTRESS: PLIGHT OF EDUCATION IN AFGHANISTAN James Robson (Moderator) Kamal Ahmad; Pashtana Durrani; Shirin Jaafari; Sakena Yacoobi