The Afghanistan Reconnected Process: Regional Economic Security Beyond 2014 High-Level Advocacy Events in DC and at the UN 1. Summary and Conclusions The EastWest Institute (EWI) hosted panel discussions on its Afghanistan Reconnected report in Washington, D.C. and New York on October 14 and 17. The event in Washington D.C. was held in cooperation with and at the premises of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). The event in New York, involving several Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives and distinguished EWI board members, was held at the United Nations Headquarters under Chatham House rule. At both meetings, senior representatives of the governments of Afghanistan, the United States and Germany, with the participation of members of the private sector (primarily from Pakistan and India), shared their views with an audience of senior diplomats, academics, businesspeople and civil society. As an international trust-building organization, the EWI promotes opportunities for economic growth both in Afghanistan and in the region, recognizing that economic prosperity is a prerequisite for security. EWI’s Afghanistan Reconnected Process promotes regional dialogue on post-2014 economic transition in Afghanistan, and highlights Afghanistan’s role as transit and trade hub, connecting economies and resources of Central and South Asia and beyond. The Afghanistan Reconnected Process report, published in May 2014, underscores the regional economic potential of Afghanistan and recommends measures to “reconnect” Afghanistan to the region. (urls for the link to the report.) Panelists were in favor of this ongoing dialogue, the objective of which is to mobilize both governments and the private sector to work toward regional economic development. Please see a list of participants here. (Urls for relevant pages.) There were several key messages: The governments of Germany, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, along with regional actors and the larger international community reaffirmed their commitment to help Afghanistan “reconnect” to the region, through trade, transit, energy transmission and resource extraction opportunities, benefiting the countries in the region. Participants sent a clear signal to the Afghan National Unity Government to improve governance and accountability, which is critical for improving service delivery, attracting investment and ultimately supporting job creation and growth. Some expressed optimism regarding the recent steps taken by the National Unity Government to address the issue of corruption and financial mismanagement,