Exploring perplexities of Capacity Development Initiatives in Post-Conflict Countries: Examining Afghanistan’s civil aviation sector.
Brief overview of research topic:
Over the past two decades, Afghanistan has been the recipient of substantial international assistance aimed at promoting state-building and development. Between the years 2001 and 2021, the international community invested approximately $2.313 trillion in rebuilding Afghanistan focusing on its security forces, civilian government institutions, economy, and civil society (SIGAR, 2021). As a landlocked country nestled in a region marked by geopolitical complexities, Afghanistan faces unique challenges in achieving economic growth and connectivity. Civil aviation has emerged as a critical sector that plays a pivotal role in addressing these challenges by facilitating trade, tourism, and international relations. The withdrawal of the international community from Afghanistan in August 2021 had a profound impact on the country’s civil aviation sector. One of the immediate consequences was the collapse of Afghanistan’s airport operations, revealing the lack of capacity within the Civil Aviation Authority to effectively manage airspace services. This deficiency in Capacity was previously highlighted in the 2015 SIGAR report. Despite efforts by the US to transfer airspace management responsibilities to local staff by 2014, this transition was not successful. Even up to the point of the international community’s withdrawal, local staff were unable to autonomously manage airspace. Consequently, due to these limitations, commercial flights continued to bypass Afghanistan’s airspace. This scenario underscores a potential shortfall in the sustainability and effectiveness of capacity development initiatives within the civil aviation sector in Afghanistan.
Qualifications
Qualifications:
Master in Public Administration a Public Policy at the University of York.