Publication

This paper examines how the expansion of regional economic cooperation and the establishment of trade and transit linkages remain critical for the long-term stabilization of conflict-ridden Afghanistan. The author suggests that regional economic cooperation and connectivity projects have the potential to bind states in a mutually beneficial framework of cooperation by establishing joint ventures, encouraging investment, and addressing existing trade and transit problems. For instance, she suggests that major regional connectivity projects such as the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) pipeline can 1) act as a confidence building measure (CBM) to minimize the damaging impact of zero-sum competition among regional countries; and 2) open up new opportunities for Afghanistan in terms of revenue generation, job creation, economic opportunities and self-sufficiency.