Following the U.S. withdrawal, Afghanistan faces significant security, economic, and social challenges, requiring international recognition and internal reforms to stabilize and grow.

For decades, Afghanistan has struggled to achieve stability, and the situation has only worsened since the U.S. withdrawal. The country is now governed by the Taliban, a militant group whose control has left Afghanistan without traditional security measures, including secured borders and a functional military. Security is a fundamental requirement for any state, yet Afghanistan lacks this essential component. Even in non-traditional security areas, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan lags far behind other nations, facing significant security challenges.

Economic empowerment is vital for a state’s functionality, impacting all other sectors, including the military. Afghanistan faces daunting economic challenges that require solutions such as trade, financial aid, and loans from organizations like the IMF. However, a crucial question remains: why would international bodies provide loans and aid to a state governed by a barbaric Islamic militant group? Afghanistan must earn the trust of the international community.

Education is another critical sector. Without it, a state cannot grow or compete globally. Enhancing the education sector is essential, but Afghanistan faces additional issues due to gender discrimination, particularly the reluctance to educate women, which severely hinders growth.

Women’s empowerment through education is crucial. Education is necessary for both men and women. To uplift the nation and meet international standards, Afghanistan must educate Afghan women. However, entrenched beliefs prevent this empowerment, posing a significant setback and future challenge.

Since the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, the new regime must take careful, strategic steps to build a positive international image.

International recognition is crucial for survival, enabling trade, economic ties, and other international relations. Without it, a state faces hardships and interventions. Afghanistan is striving for this recognition, essential for its growth and development.

Starting from scratch, the Taliban regime faces numerous challenges that could lead to instability. Unemployment is a significant factor contributing to instability. Afghanistan must initiate campaigns, programs, or organizations to employ people and create policies to recruit workers, directly impacting the state’s economy. A strong workforce, alongside basic needs and human rights provisions, is crucial for growth.

Afghanistan, recently freed from 20 years of international intervention, does not want further interventions. However, terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS might attempt to use Afghan soil for their purposes. The new Taliban regime must be vigilant in countering this challenge, as Afghanistan is not yet properly secured to prevent interventions from state or non-state actors.

These issues contribute to instability and chaos in Afghanistan. Factors such as the military, economy, society, and human security are interdependent, as highlighted by the Copenhagen School of Thought. Instability in one area impacts the others, causing regional instability, which is significant in Afghanistan’s case.

Alliances are vital for a state’s survival and addressing challenges from other states. However, the fact that Afghanistan is run by a militant group raises concerns for other states about forming alliances. From Afghanistan’s perspective, making alliances is crucial to portraying a positive global image and establishing beneficial relationships that lead to good ties with other states. This will be challenging, as Afghanistan needs to earn the trust of other states and start forming alliances, economic ties, and trade agreements to foster growth.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan faces numerous hurdles and challenges ahead. The new regime must address these challenges professionally to gain recognition and catch up with the international community. The government must carefully monitor its actions, as the Taliban is still considered a non-state actor group. To portray a positive image, they must take decisive and proactive steps.