The United States supports efforts by Afghanistan and its neighbors to expand the web and network of economic and transit connections that exist across South and Central Asia. By helping facilitate greater connectivity and economic growth, this “New Silk Road” vision recognizes that a secure, stable, and increasingly prosperous Afghanistan can only exist in the context of a secure, stable, and increasingly prosperous region. Over the past decade, the United States and our friends and allies have helped Afghans rebuild infrastructure shattered by decades of war and establish the institutions and security necessary to serve as a vital connection at the center of this region.
As Secretary Clinton has said, an Afghanistan firmly embedded in the economic life of a thriving South and Central Asia will support peace and stability throughout the region. Afghanistan and all of its neighbors have a major stake in ensuring that Afghanistan develops from a post-conflict society to an active player in the global economy. The United States is working with countries in the region as well as international partners to make this vision a reality.
