Herat Security Dialogue-IX

9th Herat Security Dialogue (HSD- IX)
“Afghanistan Peace Processes”
13-14 November 2020

The Herat Security Dialogue (HSD) is an annual international conference, held by the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS). It is attended by government officials, international organization delegates, legislators, academic experts, distinguished journalists, business delegates, media and civil society representatives from Afghanistan, the region and wider international community.

Its main objective is to address a clear domestic and regional need for a permanent forum where different stakeholders could engage in dialogue aimed at building confidence and identifying practical& broader security cooperation at different levels. Furthermore, the HSD is committed to promoting and encouraging an inclusive and networked understanding of security by bringing together different but related themes and approaches to security.

The HSD aims to challenge conventional approaches to security and encourage creative and “out of the box thinking” and solutions. The HSD also encourage normative and cross-cultural dialogue concerning different approaches and perspectives on security. Particularly, the HSD intends to address Afghanistan’s security and stability in the wider regional and global contexts.

The HSD is held in October each year in the historic city of Herat, which exemplifies connectivity, cooperation, creativity throughout its long history, strategic location and its post 2001 renaissance. The venue of the conference is Qala-IIkhtiyar al-Din (Herat Citadel), founded during Achaemenid period (6th-4th century BC).

Its first and inaugural conference was held in 19-21 October 2012, which was attended by 80 participants, representing 30 nations and organizations. The Herat Security Dialogue II (HSD- II) was hosted by Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) on 5-6 October 2013 in Herat, Afghanistan. The conference was attended by 140 participants, representing 30 nations and international organizations.

The first round of “Herat Security Dialogue (HSD)” was held on 19-21 October 2012 in Herat, followed by the second on 4-6 October 2013, the third on 27-28 September 2014, the fourth on 2-3 October 2015, the fifth on 14-15 October 2016, the sixth on 13-14 October 2017, the seventh on 26-27 October 2018, and the eighth on 18-19 October 2019.

The AISS has already approached a number of provincial, national and international media organizations for exploring their interest to sponsor and/or for special coverage of the HSD IX meetings.

Due the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's conference will be organized differently and at three levels:  Provincial, Virtual and In-Person.