The NSRI and the BRI: the Future of Central Asia

Abstract

Maintaining peace and peaceful co-existence is one of the major goals of integration. It is rightly believed that a peaceful international society can emerge by working together in workshops and market places rather than by signing pacts in chancelleries. The United States of America and its Western allies earnestly desire to empower conflict-ridden Afghanistan so that the country can achieve economic sustainability and lasting peace. Regional integration theorists believe that this is possible through economic integration with both Central and South Asia so as to gain wider access to regional trade and transportation. Accordingly, in 2011, the US announced a trade and transportation project, the New Silk Road Initiative (NSRI), intended to integrate South and Central Asia with war-torn Afghanistan. This constitute an act of intra-state and trans-border trade agreement among Eurasian countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Central Asia, and Europe. It seeks to renew the Ancient Silk Route so as to open up new markets and economic opportunities for the land locked counties of Central Asia and Afghanistan, thereby boosting their economic growth, creating new jobs, attracting foreign investment, reducing poverty and ensuring regional stability. However, in 2013 China announced a most ambitious foreign policy and economic initiative known as the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative-referred to as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) - intended to ensure - a strong economic and political lead in South and Central Asia. China aims to connect its underdeveloped hinterland to Europe through Central Asia. China’s BRI became a big challenge to the United States’ NSRI and is emerging as more productive, beneficial and successful.