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Vienna Process for a Democratic Afghanistan(Official Website)
Our Commitment
The Vienna Process was launched in September 2022 through the initiative and support of Professor Christian Reder, Fahima Zahma, and Nur Safa. Although its first conference was modest in scale, it marked an important first step toward establishing an inclusive political process for the people of Afghanistan.
At its inaugural conference, the Vienna Process brought together around 30 Afghan political and civil society figures living in exile. Participants included representatives of political parties opposed to the Taliban, tribal elders and leaders from Afghanistan’s diverse ethnic communities, former government officials, and women’s rights advocates. They came together to discuss the vision of a democratic Afghanistan. The most recent conference of the Vienna Process (the Fifth Conference) was held in February 2025. This time, approximately 100 political and military figures, along with representatives from 50 organizations, participated. During the conference, participants focused on advancing democracy and the rule of law in Afghanistan by finalizing and approving the Vienna Process Roadmap, a strategic document outlining the country’s future. The Roadmap presents a coordinated and strategic approach to building a sustainable, democratic, and inclusive future for Afghanistan. The documents comprising the Roadmap are the result of extensive consultations and expert work carried out by the Vienna Process working groups. The Roadmap was unanimously endorsed by all conference participants.
Welcome
The Vienna Process for a Democratic Afghanistan is founded on the principles of democracy, the rule of law, human rights, social justice, and sustainable development. Established in September 2022, it is a political and intellectual initiative aimed at creating an inclusive platform for dialogue among Afghanistan’s political forces, resistance groups, civil society, and intellectuals.
The initiative was independently established by members of the Austrian Relief Committee for Afghanistan (ARC), an organization that implemented extensive programs for Afghan refugees in Pakistan from 1980 to 1994.
The founders of the Vienna Process are Professor Christian Rieder, Professor Emeritus at a university, Mr. Nur Safa, a former Austrian diplomat of Afghan origin, and Ms. Fahima Zahma, a human rights activist. They currently oversee the Vienna Process Secretariat.
Former ARC President Professor Dr. Christian Rieder, who has published several books on Afghanistan (including works in Persian), serves as President of the ARDI Vienna Foundation for Research, Development and Human Rights. Through the Foundation, he has provided the principal funding for the five Vienna Process conferences as well as for the publication of the book The Vienna Process for a Democratic Afghanistan: A Brief Report in both English and Persian. Key figures who joined the initiative through the fifth conference include Ms. Manizha Bakhtari, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to Austria, and Dr. Wolfgang Petritsch, former Austrian diplomat.
For inquiries, please contact the Vienna Process Secretariat: