Prosperity and development awaits peaceful Afghanistan

Wednesday is the 101st anniversary of the independence of Afghanistan. On Aug. 19, 1919, King Amanullah Khan proclaimed independence at the end of the Third Anglo-Afghan war. Coincidentally, this week also marks the 90th anniversary of the Afghan-Saudi diplomatic relations agreement, which was signed in Jeddah by Sardar Ahmad Shah Khan of Afghanistan and Yusuf Yaseen of Saudi Arabia. Since then, the two countries have remained very close allies.

Afghanistan has witnessed many major ups and downs since its independence. Any other nation would have gone with the wind had it experienced the turbulence Afghanistan has faced in the last four decades. Currently, when one hears the name Afghanistan, an image of war, poverty and backwardness comes to mind; but that was not the case a few decades ago. Afghanistan had railways and tram lines in the 1920s. Foreign tourists freely roamed the streets of Kabul and the country’s provinces in the 1940s. In 1988, Abdul Ahad Mohmand became the first Afghan and fourth Muslim astronaut to travel into space, where he stayed and carried out research for nine days. There is a famous saying that Afghanistan is a country where, when one looks at pictures of its past glories, people think as if they are looking at the future of the country.

Right after the proclamation of independence, King Amanullah Khan introduced social reforms, modernized and industrialized Afghanistan, and expanded the country’s political and commercial relations with Europe and Asia. He began a new chapter in modern Afghanistan and enacted a contemporary constitution that incorporated equal rights and individual freedom for all citizens.

King Zahir Shah ruled Afghanistan from 1933 until 1973, during which time he further expanded diplomatic relations with several nations. He was a close ally of Saudi Arabia and a great friend of King Abdul Aziz, King Saud and King Faisal. Saudi Arabia printed postage stamps in 1950 to honor the visit of King Zahir Shah to the Kingdom. Afghanistan experienced a calm period of development for four decades, with modern universities, hydroelectric dams, expanded highways, electric bus systems, free elections, a parliament, civil rights, and universal suffrage being the highlights of the era.

Later, Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan established the republic and he became the first president of Afghanistan. He came up with five and 10-year development plans including effective economic and social reforms.

Saudi Arabia stood firm with the people of Afghanistan amid the Soviet occupation. To honor the remarkable efforts of the Kingdom, Afghanistan last year awarded the Ghazi Mir Bacha Khan high state medal to Prince Turki Al-Faisal. This medal is only conferred on notable national and global personalities who have accomplished remarkable achievements toward Afghanistan.

Although Afghanistan has been blighted by conflict, the Afghan people have learnt lessons from the past and are cautiously moving toward the upcoming peace deal.

Ashraf Ghani, the president of Afghanistan, has been trying his level best to place the pieces of the Afghan peace puzzle in the right places. During Eid celebrations in 2018, Afghans relished a three-day cease-fire for the first time in decades thanks to Ghani. It led to numerous other similar opportunities and boosted the hopes of Afghans for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

Direct peace talks between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban are expected to start in the coming weeks, further raising the hopes of Afghans for a better and more prosperous future. If peace prevails, and if they are given the opportunity, Afghans have much talent and ability to showcase. The brilliant performances and remarkable rise of the Afghan cricket team is a good example, as it paved a journey of more than 50 years in just a decade.

The Afghan people have learnt lessons from the past and are cautiously moving toward the upcoming peace deal.

Riaz Sadat 

After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, Saudi Arabia once again stood firmly beside the new government of Afghanistan and supported the peace talks. Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia also established a joint economic commission, which held its first session in Riyadh in October 2018. The Kingdom is now funding a 53-km highway between Armalak and Laman in the northwest of Afghanistan. It is due to be inaugurated soon. Also, the Saudi Development Fund has agreed to build 600 schools and a part of the Kabul ring road. And Afghans look forward to having the cooperation of Saudi Arabia in exploring the untapped $3 trillion-worth of mineral reserves in the country, while also working together on strategic economic partnerships in the fields of agriculture, energy and mining.

Once famous for the production of opium and hashish, Afghanistan has been rebranding itself on the regional and global markets. Supposedly the best in the world, Afghan saffron has found a great place in the Saudi market, as have Afghanistan’s organic fresh fruits and unique dried fruits. They are all thriving on the shelves of Saudi Arabia’s markets.

Afghans are once again expecting to cherish the memories of the past, and they look forward to receiving foreign tourists in the near future. The opportunities for camping in the incredibly beautiful valleys of Nuristan and Pamir, hiking in the Hindu Kush, and skiing on the snow-covered mountains of Bamyan are not to be missed.

• Riaz Sadat is the Trade Attache of Afghanistan to Saudi Arabia. Twitter: @riazsadat