One month ago, the Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide traveled to Kabul as the UN's newly appointed special envoy. But Eide's abilities are assessed very differently in Norway and Afghanistan. In Norway, Kai Eide is hailed as Afghanistan's savior. But Ny Tid has spoken to the Taliban, who believe Eide is an "unopened watermelon". Afghan analysts call him a clear second choice.
(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
[special envoy] After Kabul rejected the controversial diplomat Paddy Ashdown as UN special envoy to Afghanistan, Norway's Kai Eide sneaked into the country as the UN's second choice to lead international efforts in Afghanistan. Not long after his arrival he went out and declared that he was the right man for the position.
- I'm not Paddy Ashdown, Eide told the press when he arrived in Kabul on March 28.
- But do not underestimate me, he continued and insisted that he has what it takes for the big task.
The Afghan government created strong reactions when they rejected the UN's first candidate for the post of the organization's "super envoy", Paddy Ashtown. Some suggested that this was due to fears that Ashdown, by virtue of its independent nature and potential authority as a leader on behalf of the international community, could have undermined President Hamid Karzai.
Days after his arrival, 59 year-old Eide, who represented Norway in NATO from 2002 to 2006, stated that his mandate was "sharper" than his predecessors had. Eide said he felt confident that he has both Kabul and Afghanistan's international partners in the back.
"I have a mandate that I believe is sufficient and sharper than the mandate that existed before," he said during his press conference in Kabul on April 9.
- I have confidence in both the Afghan authorities and the international community. These are the tools I need, and which I want to make use of, he added.
Eide stated that his main goal is to streamline international efforts in the war-affected country. The Taliban was fielded by a US-led invasion that began on October 7, 2001, to which Norway also joined. The efforts of the international community to rebuild the country after the invasion have been criticized as ineffective and uncoordinated.
Only time will tell if Eide's promises can create new confidence among Afghans who are tired of the persistent wars, invasions and corrupt politicians who have dominated the country, which is also suffering from crushing poverty.
An unopened watermelon
The Taliban is the largest military group to lead an ongoing bloody uprising after being overthrown by the government. To them, Eide is an "unopened watermelon" with a hitherto unknown inside.
- We do not know much about this new UN envoy. To us, he is like an uncut watermelon, says Taliban's leading spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi, referring to an Afghan custom of betting on which watermelon turns out to be the reddest.
But, according to Ahmadi, his Islamic militant movement hopes that "the unopened watermelon" recognizes the Taliban as a "reality on the ground" for the sake of peace.
If he wants peace in Afghanistan, he must recognize the Taliban as a reality on the ground. If he does not do so, he is obviously the United States' puppet and works for the American cause, Ahmadi says by phone to Ny Tid from a secret location.
"Everyone who works for the Americans is an obvious enemy, and we will strike at our enemies," said Ahmadi.
In Afghanistan's political circles, Eide is equally unknown.
- I do not know much about him, says the Afghan parliamentarian Daud Sultanzoi. He complains that the UN's highest envoy has so far not met with his committee, the national economic committee in the country's powerful lower house. This committee also monitors the activities of international organizations.
- I have heard that he is a good person. If he wants to succeed, he must listen to the voice of the people through their representatives, says Sultanzoi.
- If he follows in the footsteps of his predecessors who have caused the defeat of the last seven years, he will also fail.
- Will follow Karzai
Leading Afghan analyst and academic Wadir Safi sees Eide as a clear second choice.
- It is really too early to comment on Eide because he has just taken over. But the fact that he was appointed after Karzai rejected Paddy Ashdown is a clear indication that he is weak, Safi told Ny Tid.
- I do not expect someone like him to make significant progress in dealing with the widespread corruption or stand up against Karzai's corrupt government.
- I probably reckon that he will simply follow Karzai's order, he adds, and praises Ashdown as "a strong and convinced man who could resist the government's corrupt officials".
Fahim Dashti, an experienced journalist and editor-in-chief of the prominent newspaper Kabul Weekly, says the time will show how capable the new UN envoy is.
- What we can say about him so far is that he has made good promises to, among other things, fight corruption. He can only be effective if he fulfills these promises, says Dashti, adding that "people have high expectations of this representative".
On the streets of Kabul, where war-weary people talk more about galloping food prices than about politics and the UN's new envoy, few have heard of the diplomat.
- I have not heard of him, says the unemployed and unskilled citizen Abdul Rafiq.
If he can help rebuild our country, if he can help end the violence and help the poor, he is welcome. The others could not help us, says Rafiq.
