“Afghan President Hamid Karzai spoke at the Third National Conference on Counter Narcotics in Kabul today and asked for more cooperation among international stakeholders and donors to fight the growing threat presented by poppy cultivation, and narcotics production and smuggling.

Reiterating Afghanistan’s commitment to fight the narcotics problem, he asked that the international community and regional countries do their share to help stem the opium production cycle and crack down on the drug trade.

Toronto - Hon. Beverley Oda, Canada’s Minister of International Cooperation, announced Saturday that Canada will fund health and community development in the province of Kandahar to the tune of CAN $45 million. The funding is going to programs to fight polio and tuberculosis, build local governance and improve access to maternal health services at the Mirwais Hospital.

The minister made the announcement at the Afghan Independence Day festivity hosted by the Afghan Association of Ontario in Toronto. Also present, Ambassador Omar Samad, thanked Canada for making good on its pledges to help the Afghans.

Ottawa - “On behalf of my people and my Government, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, comrades and friends of Master Corporal Christian Duchesne, Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier and Private Simon Longtin whose lives were cut short this week by explosive devices planted by agents of terror in Southern Afghanistan.

They served their country with honor by dedicating themselves to helping Afghanistan and creating a safer world.

Wishing the injured soldiers and journalists embedded with the unit a speedy recovery, our thoughts are also with them, as well as with the family of the Afghan interpreter who lost his life.

Afghan National Security Forces detained seven suspected insurgents during an operation near Kandahar City Thursday morning. One of the detainees is suspected of being a major Taliban improvised explosive device (IED) facilitator in the province of Kandahar.

Strengthened coordination between Afghan and International Security Assistance Forces can disrupt the command and control of the insurgents’ IED network that instigates attacks on civilians and Afghan and ISAF/NATO security forces.

The Afghan people are grateful for Canada’s continued commitment alongside other members of the international community in helping us to overcome security challenges and provide assistances for Afghanistan’s development and reconstruction.”

Ottawa – During a working visit by Afghanistan’s First Deputy Defence Minister to Ottawa on Monday, Canadian officials pledged to boost capacity building and educational assistances to Afghanistan.

Deputy Minister Dr. Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani, accompanied by Lt-Gen. Houmayen Fawzi, Assistant Minister of Defence for Personnel and Education, met with Mr. Ward Elcock, Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr. David Mulroney, Associate Deputy Minister at Foreign Affairs Canada and Mr. Vincent Rigby, Assistant Deputy Minister of Defence for Policy.