RASC News Agency: The Austrian capital is set to host the fifth round of the Vienna Conference on a Free and Democratic Afghanistan next Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing together prominent Afghanistani political movements, policymakers, and civil society activists. The discussions will center on Afghanistan’s future beyond Taliban rule and explore viable political alternatives to the militant regime. The Vienna Process, a key platform for Afghanistan’s exiled political leadership, confirmed in a statement that participants will engage in high-level deliberations on navigating the country away from Taliban control. The conference will see the participation of more than 50 major political groups and numerous influential Afghanistani figures, underscoring the urgency of forging a unified opposition.
The fourth session of the Vienna Conference, held on June 24, 2024, emphasized the need for coordinated resistance against the Taliban’s oppressive rule. Among the key figures attending the upcoming session is Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), who has remained a pivotal force in the opposition movement. Organizers have stated that this round will focus on strengthening political, civil, and military unity among anti-Taliban factions. Since the Taliban’s forceful takeover in 2021, the Vienna Process has emerged as the most significant international forum convening Afghanistan’s political and military opposition. Previous conferences have highlighted the urgency of a cohesive strategy to counter the Taliban’s authoritarian governance, which has plunged the country into political and economic turmoil.
Vienna has emphasized that the upcoming conference will take place in an “open political environment,” allowing for transparent discussions on solutions to Afghanistan’s ongoing crisis. The Taliban’s repressive and exclusionary policies have fueled widespread opposition, prompting Afghanistani factions to hold multiple gatherings over the past three years to strategize resistance efforts. The Vienna Conference has solidified its role as a crucial platform where the Taliban’s adversaries unite, reaffirming that the struggle for Afghanistan’s democratic future is far from over.
