Afghan UW students gain insight into Fixing Failed States

The former Afghanistan Minister of Finance Ashraf Ghani spoke last Thursday with Clare Lockhart, director for the Institute for State Effectiveness, about their new book, Fixing Failed States: A Framework for Rebuilding a Fractured World at a downtown venue.

Afghan students of the Afghan Scholars Program at the UW Evans School of Public Affairs were at the talk to hear strategies to improve their country.

Afghanistan, a chess piece for 19th century British and Russian imperialists, a Cold War battleground during the 1980s and the home of the Taliban, continues to have governmental troubles troubles in the 21st century.

The students involved with this program are students from Afghan nonprofits and government and plan to return to Afghanistan to help rebuild the country. To do so, they are studying public administration and policy for three months at UW and one year at Kabul University to receive a Masters of Public Policy and Administration.

In a discussion mediated by Sanjeev Khagram, associate professor of Public Affairs and International Studies, the writers addressed a ten-point plan outlining crucial functions for an effective state.

“It certainly gives us a good analysis of what is going on in the world but it also supplies some reasons for hope — success stories, practical examples of things actually moving forward,” Khagram said.

Key ideas addressed in the book were also taught through the Afghan Scholars Program.

In the discussion, Lockhart said it is important to look at the assets and potential wisdom provided by U.S. universities.

Afghan student Ahmad Jamshid Arefi, 27, agrees that the university plays a very critical role.

“Building networks with different universities around the world will be a very useful tool in building our country,” Arefi said. “There is a need to focus on the tertiary education — the universities and colleges.”

Both writers and students said they learned from each other in their discussions.

“We were incredibly impressed with what they learned in terms of renewing their faith in public service, renewing their ability to serve as links in our interdependent world,” Ghani said.

After the talk, the students said they had an enormously renewed sense of confidence regarding the future and their capacity to make a difference.

“It’s fantastic to watch,” Ghani said.