Omar Samad

Welcome to My Website/blog
This site is home to my public and professional activities. They include writings, speeches, interviews, analyses/commentaries, social media postings, professional affiliations and networks.

Appreciating the opportunity to expand the discussions beyond the formal setting and agenda, the “civil society hybrid meeting” on July 2 offered a much needed platform for Afghan invitees (5 women and 2 men) active and involved in various spaces inside and outside the country to… https://t.co/r0UqbbEUoo
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) July 4, 2024

Renewed UN Efforts on Afghanistan to Start After Doha2 Meetings

Feb. 19, 2024

By Omar Samad

It’s no longer so easy being the Secretary General of the UN these days, but @antonioguterres deserves credit for his farsightedness+evenhanded approach at a time when wisdom/leadership are lacking. On the #Afghan dossier: His personal touch is important. His teams on AFG need to draw lessons from this particular round… new emerging realities, dwindling opportunities & growing challenges paused by polarized players driven by competing agendas.

Afghanistan: Facing Old Challenges and Needing New Perspectives

12 November, 2023 - 15:12

Omar SAMAD

While the world is distracted by other global priorities, notably the tragedy unfolding in the Middle East and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Afghanistan – ruled by a de facto government - is facing multiple challenges mixed with fewer opportunities and potential solutions at a critical juncture.

In spite of the reduced attention, some off-radar diplomatic initiatives are being pursued by the UN, major donors and regional countries to address outstanding issues and disputes that arose after the Taliban seized power 27 months ago on the heels of the US/NATO military withdrawal. The country is widely peaceful now after 45 years of turmoil, but the new leadership has also imposed gender employment curbs and fundamental rights restrictions in the public education sector.

--LATEST in the MEDIA--

زیر آسمان کبود - نقش و اهمیت فعالان جامعه مدنی در افغانستان https://t.co/TQDfNQnJQ5
— Radio Azadi (@DaRadioAzadi) July 6, 2024

IMPORTANT:

Alternative livelihoods, a top issue on the formal agenda discussed in part 1 of Doha-3 on July 1. Japan 🇯🇵 leads the way as a donor nation. Process involves international orgs, NGOs, authorized coordinators and local farmers. Funding accountability rests on… https://t.co/MHvsKgfA0I
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) July 5, 2024

Expressing sympathies to the affected families in all flooded regions is step one.

=> Step 2 is to get involved by seeking legit/practical means to pledge/deliver help.

=> Step 3 is for stakeholders to agree that natural disasters+ climate change are producing a deadly… https://t.co/cALxz6wtnf
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) May 11, 2024

A more “inclusive and resilient” Afghanistan where fundamental rights of men, women & children (Shari’a rooted included) are upheld, is very much what is demanded by the population at-large, and needed to overcome years of conflict, mistrust, poverty, bad governance and… https://t.co/LJbeC9QFJ7
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) May 10, 2024

A more serious analysis in this opinion piece of better, bad & worst options moving forward on the core approaches to the Afghanistan conundrum.

Putting aside the diversity of views/assessments regarding the last UN-led gathering in Doha (and looking forward to the next one), I… https://t.co/o4dDNrnOj5
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) April 6, 2024

This is a positive step in the right direction under current conditions. These funds need to not only bolster productivity, quality/diversity of goods/services & revenue, but more importantly, create additional livelihoods/jobs that are sustainable by going beyond the usual… https://t.co/VZDQ65nGwg
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) April 5, 2024

Amazing photos 🙏🏼. Anja will be remembered not only for her amazing work, as depicted here, but also for who she was as a human being & someone who cared about unfortunate countries like Afghanistan… and about her profession.@Kathygannon https://t.co/6jmBzS96yx
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) April 4, 2024

It’s been reported via UN agencies that close to 16M Afghans today face serious food insecurity (almost 3M in acute category - 80% are women & children). Millions more are jobless.

This fragility exists despite donor generosity shown via the AHF over the last decade. Aid… https://t.co/cRtmWP3u6W
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) April 3, 2024

A lot has been said/written in recent days about CT, by-proxy terror, complex/deceptive scenarios, blame-games & terrorist/ideological alignments/discord based on either factual or cooked-up analyses/data/intel.

Here’s a development that shows new trends. https://t.co/HTk0beU5e1
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) April 2, 2024

In order to make sense of the “false/right alarms”, “false/right flags” and “false/right narratives” used in such complex cases, one cannot ignore any source (primary or proxy) disseminating online/offline info/data to sift through the dust and smoke 💨.

This particular site…
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) March 30, 2024

Moving towards Doha3 by June, new realignments & re-posturing expected by several countries in Asia & Europe toward the de facto AFG gov in 2024.

India’s new-found pragmatic stance is no exception. Driven by:

1. Regional rivalries & recalibrations.
2. Geo-economic…
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) March 29, 2024

Rain is good news for underground storage but many villagers, farmers claim that the rain/snow came too late this year. Hardly any pastures left for animals. Most areas suffering. https://t.co/9oLrMXd1tP
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) March 25, 2024

با آغاز سال نو تعلیمی، مسدود ماندن مکاتب ثانوی، دانشگاه‌ و پوهنتونها بر روی دختران، نه تنها که یک‌ بار دیگر باعث ناامیدی و انزجار ملیونها نوجوان و خانواده‌های شان در سراسر افعانستان شده، بلکه ضربهٔ محکمی بر پیکر یک کشور فقیر و نیازمند پیشرفت موزون و مشارکت تمامی اقشار جامعه از… pic.twitter.com/VsQFNm14P9
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) March 22, 2024

In this 4 part thread, #Italy, like a few other European nations, clearly spells out its principled AFG position after 31 months of trying and pressuring.

Each donor country (once heavily involved & still involved in humanitarian aid) has a particular stance vis-à-vis an… https://t.co/r54CCLqVj4
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) March 21, 2024

"Is Pakistan at war with the Afghan Taliban?"

Quoted in this @dwnews dispatch.https://t.co/9ZiigICzyZ
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) March 21, 2024

As a thoughtful scholar friend recently said… “we now have 3 types of policy pundits in different rooms/echo chambers dealing with complex global issues:

1. The adults/practitioners who watch/listen, compare/analyze & report or are part of authorities/mature audiences. 2. The… https://t.co/Zh2uIL1Tv1
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) March 16, 2024

This is a serious matter that needs to be substantiated & examined closeup by competent authorities & responsible orgs on the ground:

“162 ancient settlements were "devastated at an astonishing rate of one a week" between 2018 and 2021, and the practice continued at 37 sites…
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) February 22, 2024

An Indian perspective from the subcontinent with many tidbits. Of course, driven by regional considerations. From an Afghan point of view:

1. Many lessons to learn/unlearn for all key international stakeholders.
2. Afghans need to do a better job of balancing interests and…
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) July 9, 2024

Valid points. Aiming to prevent violence/terror, isolation/forced poverty/despair and rights abuses, while heading to Doha-3 & beyond, via a UN process, it’s more about:

* Learning the tough lessons from AFG since 1978
* Being less politically partisan/divisive
* Separating… https://t.co/i3GxfWZgdN
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) June 20, 2024

Indeed. A good deed and important principled shift thanks to @MofaQatar_EN and all those involved. Hoping that other donors also take this practical path to enhance livelihoods and rebuild infrastructure/institutions/capacities when deciding to allocate funds.

However, just… https://t.co/7jJLxBTvjV
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) June 20, 2024

Days prior to hosting the UN-led Doha-3 Special Reps Afghanistan meeting, a diplomatic occasion at the HR Council session in Geneva, for the State of Qatar (and others) to put the Afghan “recovery” concerns and priorities in context.

As an important engagement facilitator,… https://t.co/Sgqbn17WAK
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) June 19, 2024

In hindsight, we all wish it were so easy and simple to explain the backdrop + decisions that led to the 2021 Afghanistan debacle/transition & the +/- roles played by key stakeholders.

Trying to put facts & trends in context here.

Let’s recap 20 yrs + 3 yrs (all linked to… https://t.co/Rlklqa6x3c
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) June 4, 2024

After almost 3 years, inter-regional priorities and ground developments (used to be called realities) force Central Asians (not all at this stage) and other regional stakeholders to reevaluate current terrorist (and CT) threat assessments, economic and geo-economic dynamics that… https://t.co/SCR4zoALrr
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) June 3, 2024

Additional policy challenges, development work & hardship faced by the Afghan people that were discussed during the #AFTF session in #Oslo included restrictions on girls’ education & women work rights, the state of the economy, tackling unemployment & livelihoods, addressing… https://t.co/feyufSvR45
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) May 16, 2024

First, this was released by the Republicans this week:https://t.co/bPEiaadnCd

Then, these from the Democrats:https://t.co/Du3FUszRmb https://t.co/FkWUw58O50

The U.S. is in the midst of a heated election season. Plates are already full of controversial issues to be raised…
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) May 2, 2024

فراخبر - تعامل با امارت اسلامی؛ آیا جهان از شرط‌هایش می‌گذرد؟

ائتلافی از احزاب سیاسی افغانستان، موسوم به شورای مقاومت ملی برای نجات افغانستان، از مردم خواسته که مبارزه‌ای همه‌جانبه و سراسری را علیه طالبان آغاز کنند. نظر عمر صمد سفیر پیشین افغانستان در فرانسه و کانادا درباره بیانیه شورای مقاومت ملی برای نجات افغانستان:

ائتلافی از احزاب سیاسی افغانستان، موسوم به شورای مقاومت ملی برای نجات افغانستان، از مردم خواسته که مبارزه‌ای همه‌جانبه و سراسری را علیه طالبان آغاز کنند. نظر عمر صمد سفیر پیشین افغانستان در فرانسه و کانادا درباره بیانیه شورای مقاومت ملی برای نجات افغانستان: pic.twitter.com/k23DRZ8LJt
— BBC NEWS فارسی (@bbcpersian) April 27, 2024

سفر جان بس، سرپرست معاونت سیاسی وزارت خارجه ایالات متحده به قطر و پاکستان نشان دهنده این است که امریکا می خواهد با شرکای خود در منطقه در مورد وضعیت امنیتی افغانستان مشورت کند.

عمر صمد، دپلومات حکومت پیشین افغانستان و آگاه مسایل سیاسی، می‌گوید سفر جان بس، سرپرست معاونت سیاسی وزارت خارجه ایالات متحده به قطر و پاکستان نشان دهنده این است که امریکا می خواهد با شرکای خود در منطقه در مورد وضعیت امنیتی افغانستان مشورت کند. pic.twitter.com/cjSwYjWt0y
— VOA Dari (@VOADari) April 27, 2024

نماینده رئیس جمهوری ایران در امور افغانستان گفته که در هفته‌ پرمشغله‌ای با مقام‌های حکومت طالبان و جمعی از دیپلمات‌های مقیم کابل دیدارهایی داشته و آن‌ها از ابتکار کمیته تماس منطقه‌ای حرف می‌زدند. گفت‌وگو با عمر صمد، دیپلمات پیشین افغانستان:

نماینده رئیس جمهوری ایران در امور افغانستان گفته که در هفته‌ پرمشغله‌ای با مقام‌های حکومت طالبان و جمعی از دیپلمات‌های مقیم کابل دیدارهایی داشته و آن‌ها از ابتکار کمیته تماس منطقه‌ای حرف می‌زدند. گفت‌وگو با عمر صمد، دیپلمات پیشین افغانستان: pic.twitter.com/hhdFhKl7Sy
— BBC NEWS فارسی (@bbcpersian) April 25, 2024

FARAKHABAR – Islamic Emirate Relations With Region, West Discussed

Afghan Taliban, Pakistan, America & India: What Next in Regional Game? Moeed Pirzada Big Debate

تقابل بعد از حملات نظامی پاکستان بر قلمرو افغانستان. انگیزه‌ها، تحرکات و آجنداهای سیاسی / امنیتی در این تحلیل در برنامه‌ی رادیو آزادی

فراخبر - نتیجه نشست شورای امنیت در باره افغانستان چه خواهد بود؟

FARAKHABAR - Expectations from Doha Meeting, Kabul's Choice to Not Attend

د افغانستان سیمهییزې همکارۍ نوښت غونډه، پر سیاسي وضعیت به اغېز وکړي؟

نن شپه ۰۷:۳۰ په ژوندۍ بڼه د طلوع نیوز پر اېکس پاڼه. https://t.co/LqMvwEwR1s pic.twitter.com/60ZpCg35el
— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) January 31, 2024

د پاکستان او افغانستان ترمنځ د وروستیو ترېنګلو اړیکو لاملونه او اغیزې

https://t.co/t77Jkh2e8L
— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) December 20, 2023

در امواج آزادی

‏‏‏بررسی گزارش سازمان ملل؛ گفتگوی بین الافغانی و دولت فراگیر-افغانستان

https://t.co/fzXFwpJyQw
— Khaama Press (KP) (@khaama) December 3, 2023

در بحث هفته رادیو آزادی در مورد گزارش ملل متحد، گفتمان ملی و حکومت فراگیر

در برنامه زیر آسمان کبود رادیو آزادی به خبر و تحلیل گزارش مستقل ارزیابی ملل متحد در ارتباط با افغانستان بحث صورت میگیرد

Just read this and felt compelled to express an opinion. It would be insensitive to remain silent or show disdain or apathy at this juncture.

Speaking as an ex diplomat, and current analyst/commentator, and having dealt with war/peace/rebuilding issues most of my life, what… https://t.co/Xd1GZepvbB
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) July 15, 2024

An important issue to help female entrepreneurs/heads of household/widows inside #Afghanistan. An agenda item in #Doha3 that needs more moving forward work via competent authorities, the UN and NGOs.

There are more than 9K licenses issued overall - including 1200 since regime… https://t.co/h1L9u85te6
— Omar Samad (@OmSamad) July 14, 2024

چهارمین سالروز امضای توافق نامه دوحه میان امریکا - طالبان و پیامدهای آن برای افغانستان
گفت وگو با عمر صمد، سفير پیشین افغانستان در فرانسه و کانادا pic.twitter.com/HmhVh9zVjh
— Amu TV (@AmuTelevision) February 29, 2024

اعضای شورای امنیت سازمان ملل متحد در بیانیه مشترکی از حکومت طالبان خواسته‌اند که تمام سیاست‌ها و احکامی را که زنان و دختران افغان را سرکوب می‌کند، لغو کنند. چین و روسیه دو عضو دامی شورای امنیت اما این بیانیه را امضا نکرده‌اند.

گفت‌وگو با عمر صمد، دیپلمات پیشین افغانستان: pic.twitter.com/MFkbaCvPH1
— BBC NEWS فارسی (@bbcpersian) February 27, 2024