The Peshawar-Kabul Highway: Afghanistan's Gateway to CPEC Integration

Strengthening Regional Ties and Economic Prosperity Through Infrastructure Connectivity

P.c. Dawn

The Peshawar-Kabul Highway: Afghanistan's Gateway to CPEC Integration


In a significant breakthrough, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have forged an agreement to bolster road connectivity as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) embarks on its second phase.

This pivotal decision emerged during the third round of the Trilateral Dialogue, uniting these three neighboring nations, where they endorsed the construction of the Peshawar-Kabul motorway.

P.c. Dawn

According to diplomatic insiders, the foreign ministers of these countries deliberated on the evolving regional landscape, particularly in light of the planned U.S. troop withdrawal from war-torn Afghanistan. They highlighted that the Peshawar-Kabul motorway could serve as a stepping stone for Afghanistan's formal inclusion in the CPEC, as Peshawar is already part of the corridor.

"When Kabul and Peshawar are linked via this road, it would organically connect Kabul to CPEC, a pioneering endeavor in multi-continental connectivity initiated by China under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The official announcement is expected in due course," disclosed the source.

This motorway's construction not only binds Afghanistan with Pakistan and China but also extends a lifeline to landlocked Afghanistan by linking it to Pakistan's strategic Gwadar port, thereby addressing Kabul's trade challenges.

However, owing to certain diplomatic complexities, these amicable neighbors have decided to christen the motorway 'China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Plus Cooperation' (CAPPC). This initiative seeks to collaboratively advance trade and connectivity projects among the three nations, underscored by the signing of a pertinent document at the gathering.

It's worth noting that CPEC is being developed in Pakistan through a substantial $62 billion investment from China, with approximately $20 billion worth of projects already completed, and the remainder underway.

The BRI, unveiled by Chinese President Xi Jinping in late 2013, has attracted participation from around 165 countries and international organizations, including 86 countries, like Afghanistan, which have inked Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with China.

The BRI project holds undeniable significance for Afghanistan, aiming to reclaim its historical role as an "Asian transit and trade hub," linking South Asia to Central Asia and East Asia to West Asia. Afghanistan also attained permanent membership in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in 2017.

Surprisingly, Afghan President Dr. Ashraf Ghani appears to have had a change of heart regarding CPEC membership. China initially proposed Afghanistan's inclusion in CPEC in 2017, but Dr. Ghani was initially hesitant and didn't take up the offer, as revealed by diplomatic sources. The offer was reintroduced during the second Trilateral Dialogue in 2018, but the Kabul government did not respond. China had also publicly hinted at the offer through Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing's statement in November 2018, suggesting that Kabul could facilitate enhanced connectivity between eastern, southern, and central Asian regions.

"Under the BRI, China is committed to the peaceful development of all its neighbors and will take all necessary measures to promote peace and development in Afghanistan," quoted the source, citing Ambassador Yao.

Moreover, the Joint Declaration issued after the third Trilateral Dialogue in Islamabad alluded to further progress:

"The three sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen relations and explore new avenues of cooperation, including enhancing connectivity within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA), and other regional economic initiatives," stated the declaration.

"The three sides welcomed the progress achieved in implementing projects under the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Practical Cooperation Dialogue (CAPPCD). They pledged to continue cooperation in economic development, capacity building, improving livelihoods, and fostering people-to-people exchanges," the declaration continued.

Another significant development is the decision to jointly combat terrorism within Afghanistan and neighboring areas, targeting groups like the Islamic State (Da’ish), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). Write a meta title, meta keywords and meta description according to the above content. Meta data should as per google guidelines. Keep the meta description upto 200 characters.