Five Circles Strategy: A New Foreign Policy Paradigm | Post-BRICS and SCO Address in Kabul

Keypoints: 

• Image Shift: Moving from a "land of threats" to the "Roundabout of Asia" transit hub.
• Regional Terror: Defining terrorism as a regional export targeting state order, not just Afghans.
• Economic War: Solving narcotics through agricultural development and poverty reduction, not just force.
• Security Resilience: Proving the ANDSF could hold the country after the 2014 NATO drawdown.
• First Circle: Securing peace and trade with immediate neighbors like Pakistan and Iran.
• Second Circle: Gaining religious and financial backing from the wider Islamic world.
• Third Circle: Locking in long-term military and financial aid from the US and NATO.
• Fourth Circle: Integrating into the economies of major Asian powers like China and India.
• Fifth Circle: Reforming the state through international organizations to fix the "social contract."

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

I hope that your prayers and acts of devotion are accepted in the court of Almighty Allah 

My dear compatriots, last Saturday, I returned to the country after participating in the summits of the BRICS nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. I wish to speak with you today regarding the themes of these gatherings and the achievements Afghanistan secured during this trip.

In this conference, we were able to share a new image of our country with the participating parties. We demonstrated that Afghanistan is overcoming its obstacles and can serve as a reliable partner in regional cooperation. Fortunately, this message was well-received by the participants and prompted their readiness for further collaboration.

In the bilateral and multilateral discussions held, our message was clear: the problems of Afghanistan and their solutions have three dimensions—national, regional, and international—each of which is reciprocally linked to the others.

Regarding Afghanistan, two competing images currently exist. One is the image portrayed by foreign media and held by certain internal circles; it is a vision focused solely on risks and challenges. In this image, terrorism, narcotics, and administrative corruption occupy the most space.

The second image, which is the aspiration of the Afghan people and what they are striving to realize, is of a country serving as the "Roundabout of Asia." It is a vision where Afghanistan becomes the link between East and West Asia, North and South, and the connecting point for Central Asia with them all. In this image, Afghanistan is a wealthy nation with valuable natural resources and reserves, yet inhabited by a people of whom the majority live in poverty. In this vision, the relationship between the Nation and the State is built upon a social contract intended to pave the way toward a better future.

One subject raised with absolute clarity and precision was the question: Where does international terrorism come from? Afghanistan’s answer was explicit. Terrorism comes from these very countries—from Pakistan, China, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The war of terrorism is not, in essence, a war against Afghans; rather, it is a war against state order in the region. Terrorism seeks to disrupt state stability in the region to pursue its international agenda.

Over the past ten months, our foreign policy has been focused on replacing the "first image" with this "second image." Within our five circles of foreign policy, Afghanistan has succeeded in securing financial support and investment from the third circle (our primary financial and security partners). Specifically, we have secured the funding, equipping, and training of our security forces for another three years. Efforts are underway to ensure the continuity of this aid until 2020 based on long-term relations.

At the regional level—encompassing neighboring countries, the Islamic world, and Asian nations—the focus has been on establishing Afghanistan’s prosperity and its role as the Roundabout of Asia. The SCO conference, where most of these countries were present, was an opportunity to clarify our vision: that the "first image" of Afghanistan is a threat to the region, especially to neighboring states.

At the BRICS conference, which included countries like South Africa and Brazil, our focus was on scientific discourse. We made it clear that the "rules of the game" in the modern world are not transparent. We stated that the "chain of governance" has been broken and that a clear roadmap for cooperation must be drawn. At the SCO, we focused on the practical dimension to demonstrate ways to confront this situation.

Today, alongside cooperation between nations, there are also rivalries. This adds complexity to the issue. However, Afghanistan is the first country that seeks to be solely an arena for cooperation, not competition.

Another part of the problem linked to that first negative image is narcotics. The chain of danger in narcotics consists of several links: production, processing, transit, and consumption. As studies show, all countries in the region are part of this cycle in some way. Afghanistan does not deny the existence of this problem, but we believe that instead of finger-pointing, all members must accept their responsibility toward this complex phenomenon. Victory over this menace requires a comprehensive regional action.

Narcotics have harmed Afghanistan more than any other country. From the rise in the number of addicts to the expansion of a criminal economy, we have suffered various losses. In our view, the best way to combat narcotics and poppies is to fight poverty in Afghanistan. Currently, a laborer earns two to three hundred Afghanis a day, while in a poppy field, they are paid several times that amount. We made it clear that only through development, trade, transit, investment, and especially agricultural development can we fundamentally change people’s lives and permanently solve the drug problem.

Regarding security, Afghanistan clarified that it lacks neither the resolve nor the human strength in the fight against terrorism. Our National Unity is firm, our security forces are strong, and the will of our people for a bright future is powerful. The bravery of Afghanistan's defense and security forces is so great that even regional countries applaud them. Of course, our forces require more equipment, particularly in the air force sector. Fortunately, during these two summits, several countries agreed to assist us with equipment.

To deal more effectively with the problem of regional terrorism, Afghanistan requested a high-level regional meeting to examine where terrorism originates, for what purpose it comes, and what methods it employs. This meeting must establish a transparent mechanism. To this end, within the next two months, Afghanistan will host a meeting at the ministerial level for regional countries to decide on a mechanism for identifying terrorist groups and coordinating intelligence and operational cooperation.

The result of this trip, both in bilateral and regional talks, was the satisfaction of Afghanistan’s neighbors that this country—contrary to what some circles imagined—can strongly confront security challenges even after the withdrawal of 120,000 foreign troops. Afghanistan possesses the necessary stability.

However, it is natural that Afghanistan does not want war. We seek sustainable stability and lasting prosperity. For this reason, with strong resolve, we are pursuing the peace process. Afghanistan wants peace—a peace that is both sustainable and honorable.

Peace negotiations will proceed based on national consensus, consultation, and away from secrecy. Serious efforts have begun in this regard, the details of which you will hear in the coming days.