https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VfFGnJVfC8
“When we undertake the academic exercise of studying the Maghreb, we cannot do so in an abstract way, detached from our reality,” noted Dr. Alfonso Soria—research professor and coordinator of the Master’s Program in Analysis of Contemporary Political, Economic, and International Issues at the Externado University of Colombia and visiting professor at Universidad ORT Uruguay—during the conference “The Effect of Afghanistan on the Maghreb.”
The online event, which took place on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, was part of the lecture series organized by the Department of International Studies.
At the conference, Dr. Soria discussed the need to return to multilateralism, to develop strategies to counter a sense of “abandonment” and the perception of a challenging future for several states.
Failed States
Maghreb is the Spanish adaptation of the Arabic term al-Maghrib, which means “the place where the sun sets” or the westernmost part of the Arab world. The region includes Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Western Sahara.
“Islamic fundamentalism has a significant presence in the region. As for the political system, it has been characterized by totalitarian and paternalistic governments, such as that of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. They seem to act like patriarchs, enlightened by God—or Allah, in this case.”
The sense of an uncertain future is particularly acute in this region, where the 2011 intervention in Libya to oust Gaddafi and the lack of political leadership in the region—amidst the rise of international terrorism—suggest that significant tensions are likely to arise among the people living in North Africa.
“I’m particularly interested in failed states or states with fragile institutions,” the expert said. In other words, those that have failed to ensure their citizens’ access to basic services.
“I always try to approach topics from a comparativeperspective, ”he added. “And when we engage in the academic exercise of studying the Maghreb, we cannot do so in an abstract way, detached from our own reality.”
“Let’s consider that today we have failed states in the region, and we are all bearing the consequences of that—of that lack of governance, that lack of institutional frameworks, that absence of interlocutors, and those problems stemming from the absence of democratic elements that make a state viable as such,” the expert added. “These are not realities that are foreign to us; they are present realities, and they are not invisible.”
Saviors and Losers
The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which was completed on August 30, 2021, marks the end of an era in which major powers provided “protection,” leaving a significant void in the international community.
The expert wondered whether armed intervention is always successful. “We often invoke multilateralism when it suits our interests. When it doesn’t, certain powers push for intervention. It seems to me that there is a crisis in unilateral decision-making and a need to return to the multilateral system.”
“Excluding countries from political decisions is a major strategic mistake: just because they don’t share a political vision doesn’t mean they can’t be present to hear what the other side thinks and how diplomatic efforts are progressing. Today, it is important to strengthen multilateral bodies and develop coercive or deterrent tools,” he added.
“We have certain preconceptions. We think there are always saviors and losers. These days, on the international stage, we always assume that the saviors will actually fulfill their role. Radical groups have been encouraged in the region, groups that claim to defend—under the banner of religion and nationalism—any kind of foreign intervention .”
Soria noted that over the past twenty years, the United States and Afghanistan have failed to rebuild their institutional frameworks.
“The situation in Afghanistan is not an isolated case. Let us not forget that interventionism is often carried out in the name of democratic values—values that are foreign to certain cultures and certain countries—and that the cure is worse than the disease.”
Democratic values
“Afghanistan is a very rich country, but it lacks industry, which means there is a shortage of jobs, hunger, and illegal trade. This has a political impact on the leaders, but a real impact—in terms of economic consequences—on the entire population.”
“What’s interesting is seeing how we can create opportunities that align with democratic values. Today, for example, the Taliban government is in a holding pattern; there’s a long lull, and no aid is coming in, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need the support and recognition of the international community—it needs the community to stand by it and foster cooperation.”