ALLA RICERCA DI UNA SFERA DI INFLUENZA IN ASIA: LA POLITICA ITALIANA IN AFGHANISTAN TRA LE DUE GUERRE (1919-1928)

Afghanistan, in the forefront of international politics since 2001, came into the limelight after the withdrawal of NATO coalition troops in August 2021. Italy played a prominent role among the coalition partners and put much effort and resources in Afghanistan’s reconstruction, especially in building up institutions and public services for the population. Perhaps unexpectedly, Afghanistan is of great importance for Italy. A question may arise concerning the reasons of Afghanistan’s importance to Italy. This essay reconstructs the origins of Italian interest for and interests in Afghanistan, dating back to the early fascist period as an almost unknown chapter of the foreign policy of fascist Italy, in the wider scope of the Italy’s Indian policy and the relations with Great Britain. This essay covers the period from the Anglo-Afghan Treaty (or Treaty of Rawalpindi 1919) to the fall of King Amanullah’s rule.