Marcin Krzyżanowski of the Warsaw Institute and the former Consul of the Republic on Poland in Afghanistan was TVP World’s guest invited to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and other parts of the world.
Mr Krzyżanowski had little doubt as to the current situation in Afghanistan one year after the withdrawal of the last US troops and the Taliban takeover. The country is “in dire straits”, as he put it. The Taliban had some successes: the security situation in the country has improved. But economically, the country is on brink of a catastrophe. There has been a sharp increase in the number of people living below the poverty line, and malnourishment is widespread.
The group that is in the worst situation are the Afghan women. Since the Taliban regained power, they have reintroduced laws that sideline women. For example, there are currently no women in politics. Women are also being pushed out of the labour market, and that in a situation in which many women were the sole breadwinners. Women are also being barred from education: girls are no longer allowed to continue their education past sixth grade.
Other matters discussed by Mr Krzyzanowski were: is there any way to put pressure on the Taliban to comply with international norms; whether US withdrawal from Afghanistan emboldened Putin to invade Ukraine; Poland’s role in Afghanistan; are Iran and Russia forming an alliance; the stabbing of author Salman Rushdie; and the withdrawal of Russian from Kherson.