The Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination convened the conference, “Toward a Sovereign Afghanistan,” October 20-22, 2011, in the Cecilienhof Castle of Potsdam near Berlin, Germany. More than 40 leading experts from Afghanistan and 14 other states participated in the private, off-the-record conference.

The colloquium was opened by Ambassador Staffan de Mistura, Special Envoy for Afghanistan of the UN Secretary-General; Dr. Rangin Spanta, Afghanistan National Security Advisor; Ambassador Michael Steiner, Special Representative of the Germany for Afghanistan and Pakistan; and Ambassador Vygaudas Ušackas, Special Representative and Head of Mission of the EU’s Mission for Afghanistan. Wolfgang Danspeckgruber, LISD Director, chaired the colloquium.

The colloquium addressed four key issue areas relevant to the immediate and near future of Afghanistan: governance and economy, identity, reconciliation and reintegration, and the region and macro region. Each issue area was considered along the lines of new approaches to be taken to address outstanding problems, different perspectives than those traditionally taken to find solutions, and the ways these issues should be tackled with Afghan experts in the lead.

This Liechtenstein Colloquium was funded in part by grants from Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein, Peter Kellogg, Siemens, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Promotor Stiftung/Kaiser Partner, Vaduz, and support from the governments of Germany and the Principality of Liechtenstein.