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Afghanistan's Bonn Conference: 4 things you need to know

On Dec. 5, leaders from Afghanistan, NATO, and neighboring countries will meet in Bonn, Germany, to discuss the future of Afghanistan after US troops withdraw.

The second conference comes 10 years after the first Bonn Conference, which took place months after the Sept. 11 attacks and the American-led invasion of Afghanistan. Here’s a look at what it is, what’s at stake, and why it matters. 

1. What was the first Bonn Conference?

  • By Tom A. Peter Correspondent

In the wake of the American-led invasion immediately after the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan needed to establish a plan for how it would govern itself and how international forces would be a part of the country's future. In December 2001 prominent Afghans met in Bonn, Germany, and created the transitional government, a path for how to draft a constitution, and a permanent government.

Members of the former Islamist government were not invited to participate, a decision that many Afghans say led to the eventual Taliban resurgence and ongoing insurgency here. 

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