On 18 October SIPRI, in collaboration with the China Center for Contemporary World Studies (CCCWS), organized a one-day workshop in Beijing entitled 'Security in Afghanistan and its Neighbourhood: The Regional Dimension of Stability after Transition’.
Workshop participants included both international and Chinese officials and experts, who presented their views on how Afghanistan and the wider region will evolve following the expected drawdown of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops in 2013. The participants shared their perspectives on China's interests, policies and role in respect to achieving stability in Afghanistan and overcoming related regional challenges.
China will host the next Ministerial Meeting of the 'Heart of Asia' Istanbul Process in 2014, and the workshop addressed how China could play a constructive role in the region and promote dialogue through this process.
The workshop was the final of a series of regional meetings conducted as a part of the SIPRI Wider Central Asia Initiative, which is designed to examine the regional impact of the security transition underway in Afghanistan. The initiative is conducted with financial support from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Contact Theresa Höghammar for more information.