The United States, partner countries, and the Afghan government are attempting to reverse recent
gains made by the resilient Taliban-led insurgency since the December 2014 transition to a
smaller international mission consisting primarily of training and advising the Afghanistan
National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). The Afghan government has come under
increasing domestic criticism not only for failing to prevent insurgent gains but also for its
internal divisions. In September 2014, the United States brokered a compromise to address a
dispute over the 2014 presidential election, but a September 2016 deadline was not met for
enacting election reforms and deciding whether the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position
might be elevated to a prime ministership in a restructured government. The progress of the
Afghan government in reducing corruption and implementing its budgetary and other
commitments will be assessed at an international donors’ meeting in Brussels on October 4-5.