Retreat from Afghanistan: What it Means for Regional and Global Order

The withdrawal of the Western forces from Afghanistan leaves behind a country in disarray and many open questions. We will discuss the range of competing interests and the impact of the developments on regional and global order. Ambassador Andreas von Brandt will share his insights on the situation and the EU’s engagement in Afghanistan; Prof. Dr. Amitabh Mattoo will complement the lecture with an analysis of the implication of the retreat for the region. GIGA President Prof. Dr. Amrita Narlikar will chair and moderate the exchange.

Thursday, 25 November 2021 | 2:00–3:00 p.m. (CET – Hamburg Time)

Distinguished Speakers: Ambassador Andreas von Brandt is Head of Delegation of the European Union to Afghanistan (European External Action Service - EEAS). Before, von Brandt worked as Deputy Director in the Private Office of NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. He was also the Deputy Head of Mission at German Embassy in Kabul, and Diplomat as well as Project Manager at German Foreign Office, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the World Bank.

Prof. Dr. Amitabh Mattoo is Professor of Disarmament Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University and one of India’s leading thinkers on international relations. He has published several books and articles (including on nuclear issues and foreign policy). Prof. Mattoo also writes regularly for Indian newspapers and is a commentator on television.

Chair & Moderator: Prof. Dr. Amrita Narlikar is President of the GIGA and Professor of International Relations. Prof. Narlikar also is Honorary Fellow of Darwin College (University of Cambridge), non-resident Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), and Distinguished International Fellow of the Indian Association of International Studies (IAIS).

The GIGA Distinguished Speaker Lecture Series brings leading minds in academia and policy from all over the world to the Institute to stimulate public exchange on key global developments.