Ottawa – Omar Samad, the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Canada, issued the following statement on Thursday, June 12:

“Representatives from more than 80 nations and international organizations attended the International Conference in Support of Afghanistan, co-chaired by France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy, President Hamid Karzai and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in Paris today, and pledged generously to help Afghanistan’s five-year strategy to enhance security and boost social and economic development.

Canada was among the major donors present in Paris. Canada’s new pledge at this conference, amounting to C$550 million, will help accelerate the core of the Afghan development process, and improve the economic well-being of the Afghan people.

This new Canadian aid announcement, which brings the commitment to C$1.9 billion for the 2001-2011 timeframe, establishes Canada as a leading donor with an unsurpassed record in terms of disbursement, accountability and implementation.

Afghans are grateful for Canada’s strong support and the new focus in Canadian efforts and resources to help us rebuild Afghanistan and improve the livelihood of Afghans.

Afghans are especially appreciative of the new concentration on high value projects that will not only build infrastructure, but will also generate thousands of jobs, improve health indicators and boost agri-business potentials.

As indicated by President Karzai in Paris, the Afghan government pledges to use all its means to strengthen institutional and state capacities, fight corruption, intensify counter-narcotics measures, and pursue political and economic reform.

Remembering the sacrifices made thus far, and aware of the threats that we collectively face, Afghan also welcome the commitments made to ensure the security and stability of Afghanistan, reaffirmed recently at the Bucharest summit.”

Embassy of I.R. Afghanistan

June 12, 2008