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Australian Institute of International Affairs - Western Australia

Afghanistan: views from different angles

Thu, 25 Nov 2021
18:00 - 20:00

Developments in Afghanistan have been impacting Australia for several decades. From being a partner in the US led armed intervention following 9/11 and the long commitment to the country’s security and development that ensued, to the thousands of people from Afghanistan resettled in this country, what has happened in Afghanistan has had consequences for Australia.

The dramatic withdrawal of the US military earlier this year which saw the unexpectedly quick return to power of the Taliban in Kabul has ensured that developments in Afghanistan will continue to impact Australia.

Our first speaker will be Sherry Sufi who will be looking at the geopolitical impact of events in Afghanistan. In particular he will be discussing how China and Russia are well placed to take advantage of the vacuum left with the withdrawal of the US and its allies after a twenty year presence in the country. He will be exploring how these new alignments could impact the geopolitical future of the region.

Our second speaker will be Sarah Janali who will be focusing on the impact of developments in Afghanistan closer to home. She will be talking about how the return of the Taliban is affecting the lives of Australia’s Afghan community and local community responses to the humanitarian crisis.  In addition to sharing insights into the current challenges facing the Afghan diaspora Sarah will touch on on global approaches to refugee resettlement and Australia’s policy response.

 

About the speakers


Dr Sherry Sufi is a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs. He is a Western Australian author, columnist, and political commentator. He is outspoken on democratic values, civil liberties, and free speech.

Dr Sufi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, a Diploma of Information Systems, a Master of Arts in Politics and International Studies, a Master of History, and a Doctor of Philosophy for which he received an award for outstanding research. He fluently speaks, reads, and writes multiple languages.

Dr Sufi has made appearances on Sky News Australia and 2GB radio. His articles have been published in The Australian, The West Australian, Fairfax media, PerthNow, The Spectator, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. He was the recipient of the Berger Fellowship award to visit Israel on a study tour through the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies in 2018.

Dr Sufi is the Editor-in-Chief of the Liberal Party of WA’s policy journal, The Contributor, which he co-founded in 2014. He has organised and hosted many panel discussions and public seminars on topical issues, including an unprecedented debate on the Israel-Palestine conflict that featured prominent leaders from Australia’s Jewish and Palestinian communities.

Since 2015, Dr Sufi has served as Chairman of the Policy Committee for the Liberal Party of WA at the state level.

In 2019, he was awarded a Meritorious Service Award by the Liberal Party of Australia at its annual WA State Conference in recognition of his unwavering commitment to liberal values.

 

Sarah Janali holds a MA in International & Community Development and a BA (Honours in Asian Studies & Political Science).

Sarah has worked in the community development industry for the past 17 years and has a passion for developing communities that are welcoming and enabling of migrants and refugees.

For the last decade Sarah has led a number of award winning community based initiatives that promote the inclusion of newcomers including the Kaleidoscope Initiative which aims leverage the skills and talents that migrants and refugees bring to Australia through reducing barriers to employment.

In 2015 Sarah completed a Churchill Fellowship on the role of local government in promoting the integration and participation of migrant and refugee communities. Sarah has a strong connection to Perth’s Afghan community and is currently supporting a number of community based initiatives in response to the crisis.

Ticket Type Price
Member Ticket $10.00 Sale Ended
Non Member Ticket $20.00 Sale Ended
The University Club of Western Australia
Seminar Room 2
Entrance 1, Hackett Dr, Crawley WA 6009, Australia

PO Box 1326, South Perth, Western Australia, 6951, Australia

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