The causes of Central Asia -Afghanistan non-integration ( 2001-2021)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Regional Studies, University of Tehran

10.22059/jices.2024.98868

Abstract

After the collapse of the Islamic Emirate of the Taliban in 2001 and the establishment of a national government in Afghanistan, the international community members agreed that the establishment of stability in Afghanistan depends on its development. Therefore, various efforts have been made to integrate Afghanistan within the framework of regional cooperation plans. It seemed that due to the desire of the great powers and the formation of some cooperation frameworks between Afghanistan and Central Asia, the integration of Afghanistan with this region would be possible. However, this cooperation did not lead to comprehensive integration in all political, social, economic, and security dimensions, as Hettne and Soderbaum call the third level of regional society.
This article, using qualitative analysis method and descriptive-analytical approach and according to library and internet resources, will try to answer the question: "Why Afghanistan and Central Asia cooperation did not rise to the level of integration in the form of a "regional society" between 2001-2021?" In response to this question, using the conceptual framework of the regionness, this hypothesis will be investigated: "Despite the existence levels of governmental and non-governmental cooperation and interactions and common cultural and ideologic elements between Afghanistan and Central Asia countries and societies, the weakness of civil societies and the superficiality of relations between them, the inequality of government relations and the lack of awareness of shared identities have prevented the formation of a regional society between Afghanistan and Central Asia."

Keywords