Hello everyone at UKC - We're still in Afghanistan altough based in Kabul rather than the Wakhan. Despite our own troubles last year 2010 was, as predicted, the most successful year ever for mountaineering and trekking in the Wakhan. We managed to keep all of the trained guides fully employed for the entire season for the first time ever. In fact if we had had four times as many we'd have had enough work for them.
We are still convinced that the Wakhan could be the success story that Afghanistan and the international community desperately needs to be an example of the best way forward for our engagement in the country. However we are mindful that as the counter insurgency effort in the south makes progress the north gets more dangerous. I don't want to get into the politics of it all but the bottom line is that although the Wakhan has still to date remained ENTIRELY trouble free the badness is closer than we'd like.
What we are doing this year, along with some projects in Kabul, is to put together as accurate a picture as possible of the actual and potential economic, social, developmental and political benefits that responsible, experienced international expeditions can bring to an area like the Wakhan. We will then use this evidence to present to a number of donors and agencies to make the strongest possible case for the development of an Afghan lead security and emergency plan and response capability to protect the Wakhan from the threat of insurgency and criminality and to deal with medical emergencies. Due to the terrain, remote location and population we believe it won't take much to develop a robust emergency and security capability.
We still believe the Wakhan to be safe but if you get kidnapped on holiday in Nepal by the Maoists or in Peru by the Shining Path you're unlucky if you fall off the end of your abseil in the Wakhan you're crazy for being in Afghanistan, you can imagine the headlines....
So all that said you can help us out by filling in one of two surveys. If you came to the Wakhan last year we'd really like your feedback. Please put this URL into your browser and complete the survey:
http://smallflame.blogspot.com/2011/02/mountain-unity-wakhan-tourism-survey...
If you have been tempted to come to the Wakhan and perhaps even began planning an expedition but got put off for one reason or another please fill in this survey:
http://smallflame.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html
Many thanks,
David