Background Since the Taliban’s violent takeover of power in Kabul, Afghanistan has been experiencing a reign of terror involving unprecedented violations of human rights, in particular gender apartheid, suppression of freedom of expression, rapid growth of violent extremism and terrorism, and constant tensions and confrontations with its neighbours and the wider international community. These factors, together with a fragile economy, high unemployment, poverty, and poor public services, have driven millions of Afghans out of the country, only to face deportation due to complex and harsh regional and global political dynamics. Currently, almost half of Afghanistan’s population, around 23 million people, needs humanitarian assistance. The Taliban regime, with no legitimacy inside the country and recognized only by one state overseas, has closed all doors of dialogue with its opponents, who represent the overwhelming majority of the people of Afghanistan.
Vienna Process for a Democratic Afghanistan Against this backdrop, several major Afghan movements and organizations, as well as political and professional figures opposed to the Taliban, have established through five conferences in Vienna over three years the Vienna Process for a Democratic Afghanistan. The Process promotes national unity and broad participation in shaping a common vision to overcome the current crisis in Afghanistan. It has been facilitated by generous support from the RD Foundation Vienna, the Austrian Institute of International Affairs, Transfer project, the Embassy of Afghanistan in Vienna, which remains loyal to the Republic, and many individual volunteers. The Process already has popular support at national and international levels.
