As the Taliban swept through Afghanistan in August 2021, many of the former government’s top officials, including then-President Ashraf Ghani, fled the country, causing chaos and uncertainty among Afghans. But not everyone in the government had the opportunity or the will to leave Kabul. Ghani’s deputy minister of finance, Nazir Kabiri, stayed home. The US-educated technocrat anticipated the financial challenges such a political change could bring to Afghanistan. The Taliban kept Kabiri at his post. But will he succeed in his efforts to prevent a complete economic collapse? Nazir Kabiri, Afghanistan’s deputy finance minister, talks to Al Jazeera.

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Nazir Kabiri: Can Afghanistan avoid economic collapse? | Talk to Al Jazeera

“To make a film is easy; to make a good film is war,” Oscar-winning director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu once said. And for filmmakers in a country like Burkina Faso, mired by years of conflict and stability, the challenges are even greater. But despite the continuing violence, a pan-African film festival in the capital Ouagadougou gathered filmmakers - resilient in the face of conflict - to bring hope through art. There, we caught up with one of the top Burkinabe filmmakers and explored the art of cinema in Africa; what is on the screen and what is left out. Apolline Traore talks to Al Jazeera.

Apolline Traore: Burkina Faso’s resilience through art | Talk to Al Jazeera

Norway and the United States have long been close allies and NATO partners, but a growing crisis between Washington and Moscow is testing that relationship. As NATO puts its forces on alert for potential trouble in Eastern Europe, Norway is also having to ready its armed forces. With thousands of Russian troops amassed at Ukraine’s eastern border, are the parts heading into a full-scale war? The Norwegian prime minister, Jonas Gahr Store, talks to Al Jazeera.

Jonas Gahr Store: Can NATO stop a Russian invasion of Ukraine? | Talk to Al Jazeera

As we begin a new year, the United Nations forecasts a lower global economic growth. For Argentina, this will pose an even bigger challenge. The South American nation is weeks away from a deadline to restructure its debt with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The debt dates back to 2018, when then-President Mauricio Macri signed on to a $57bn loan. His successor, President Alberto Fernandez, rejected the terms of the agreement and sent his economy minister to renegotiate. Will he succeed? And will the country ever resolve its years-long financial crisis? Argentina’s economy minister, Martin Guzman, talks to Al Jazeera.

Martin Guzman: Argentina vs IMF? | Talk to Al Jazeera

According to the United Nations, last year brought "a spate of grave violations" against children in conflict zones, despite decades of advocacy by NGOs. One of the institutions working to improve the lives of children is Save the Children. Its chief executive officer, Inger Ashing, recently travelled to Burkina Faso as many minors living in the Central Sahel region risk illegal recruitment by armed groups. But to many in need, NGOs have failed to successfully make a difference in their lives. So are we failing to protect vulnerable children? Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children, talks to Al Jazeera.

Inger Ashing: Are we failing to protect vulnerable children? | Talk to Al Jazeera

Throughout the years, fashion designers have reflected social change. As many collections have pushed creative boundaries, they have also caused controversy. On this edition of Talk to Al Jazeera, Christian Dior’s creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri, shares her views on the role the fashion industry plays in today's world.

Maria Grazia Chiuri: Does the devil wear Dior? | Talk to Al Jazeera

Europe's worst conflict since World War II started in Croatia in 1991 and had spilled over into Bosnia and Herzegovina by 1992. The bloodshed ended in 1995, after the Dayton Accords were signed. Part of the agreement was the establishment of The Office of the High Representative. Another outcome of the accords: an extremely complex system of government. The country is led by a presidency consisting of three parts, each representing the main ethnic groups. But how effectively is the nation being governed? The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, talks to Al Jazeera.

Christian Schmidt: How effectively is Bosnia being governed? | Talk to Al Jazeera

A year from Friday, the FIFA Football World Cup will be held in Qatar, the first-ever to be staged in the Middle East. Hosting the tournament is a source of great pride for the small country of nearly three million people, which hopes the world's most popular sporting event will create a lasting legacy for the region. But since winning the bid to host football’s biggest competition, Qatar has been under the spotlight over human rights issues including the plight of migrant workers and its ability to host such a large-scale event. So is Qatar ready? Fatma Samoura, FIFA’s secretary-general, talks to Al Jazeera.

Fatma Samoura: The road to Qatar 2022 | Talk to Al Jazeera

Iran, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China have resumed talks in Vienna aiming to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. The United States is participating indirectly after withdrawing from the agreement in 2018. But there is another important party in the diplomatic efforts being made: the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The nuclear watchdog has kept communication and dialogue open with all the parties involved. But as disagreements and tensions on key issues remain unresolved, what would it take for the talks to succeed? And if negotiations fail, what’s next? The IAEA Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, talks to Al Jazeera.

Rafael Grossi: Does the UN's nuclear watchdog trust Iran? | Talk to Al Jazeera

Iran and world powers resumed talks aiming to revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. Following the Iranian elections in June, a new negotiating team is representing the Islamic republic in the Vienna talks. So what are their top demands? And are they realistic? In an exclusive interview, Iran’s deputy foreign minister and chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, talks to Al Jazeera.

Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator: Can the JCPOA be revived? | Talk to Al Jazeera

Following the military's takeover in Sudan on October 25, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the house arrest of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, it took nearly a month of negotiations to reach an agreement. But there is another significant figure in the country’s political dynamics: General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. He is al-Buhan’s deputy in the sovereign council and the leader of the Rapid Support Forces, the army’s strongest division. As many in Sudan and the region consider him the country’s most powerful figure, would he like to become the next president? General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo talks to Al Jazeera.

Sudan's General Dagalo: Military takeover was the 'best option' | Talk to Al Jazeera

Following the October 25 military takeover in Sudan, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, senior officials of the government were detained, including Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was put under house arrest. But after nearly a month of negotiations, the parties have reached a political agreement. Abdalla Hamdok has been released and reinstated as prime minister. But what does the 14-point deal signed with the military mean for the country’s democracy? And how much power would the technocratic government hold moving forward? Sudan's Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, talks to Al Jazeera.

Sudan's Prime Minister: From house arrest to reinstatement | Talk to Al Jazeera

Paul Kagame took office just six years after the 1994 genocide, in which some 800,000 people were slaughtered in an ethnic conflict. But although Rwanda has transformed into what many consider “Africa’s tech hub” and achieved rapid economic growth, it has struggled to leave its dark past behind. And while many see Kagame as a visionary leader, others claim he is a threat to democracy. After winning his third term in 2017 with nearly 99 percent of the vote, how much longer is he planning to hold on to power? The president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, talks to Al Jazeera.

Paul Kagame: Transforming Rwanda | Talk to Al Jazeera

Rafael Correa was part of the 2000's golden age for left-wing movements across Latin America. He was voted into power in Ecuador in 2007 and left office 10 years later to retire in Belgium. In 2018, a judge in his home country ordered him to return to face charges related to the kidnapping of an opposition leader, but he remained in Brussels under political asylum. Court cases at home kept piling up. He was sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison for corruption. Now considered a fugitive in Ecuador, will the former president return to face justice? Rafael Correa talks to Al Jazeera.

Ecuador's Rafael Correa: Exiled and convicted | Talk to Al Jazeera

Talks and initiatives on the environment are usually driven by the world’s superpowers, but many of the largest economies appear to be failing when it comes to clean energy. Now Chile is trying to have a louder voice. As recent reports from the United Nations reveal just how much damage human activity has done to our planet, can Chile succeed in becoming a green-energy powerhouse? The country's Energy Minister, Juan Carlos Jobet, is widely seen as Chile's champion in the fight against climate change. He talks to Al Jazeera.

Chile’s energy minister: Driving a green hydrogen boom? | Talk to Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera journalists sit down with top newsmakers from around the world.

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