KABUL – The Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Dr. A. Abdullah, attended the G8 Foreign Minister’s session on Afghanistan in London on June 23, 2005. The G8 Ministers congratulated the Afghan people and Government for the “remarkable progress” achieved since the Bonn Agreement of December 2001.

In return, the Afghan Minister praised the engagement and partnership of the G8 nations and members of the international community in providing assistance to rebuild the country, and welcomed their continued commitment to support Afghanistan in the post-Bonn period. He also thanked the current chair of the G8, the United Kingdom, for highlighting the situation in Afghanistan and the need to build on current achievements.

Dr. Abdullah agreed with the G8 Ministers that the country still faces serious challenges. However, he stressed that Parliamentary and Provincial elections, scheduled to be held in September, are on track despite armed group infiltrations and attempts by terrorist and other illegal armed groups to disrupt the peace. He also drew the members’ attention to the need for continued contributions to the electoral system, and helping build capacity in that area.

He expressed appreciation for the sacrifices and contributions made in the security sector by nations that are part of the Enduring Freedom Coalition, UN mandated NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, Provincial Reconstruction Teams, demobilization, disarmament and reintegration, and National Army and Police training programs among others.

He reiterated that stability and security in Afghanistan have regional and international dimensions, and that by adhering to the spirit of good neighborly relations - as agreed to in the Kabul Declaration of 2002 – states can strengthen stability and promote economic prosperity deemed vital to their shared interests. The participants agreed that expanding regional economic co-operation is a win-win proposition.

The Minister assured the participants that Afghanistan is committed to the fight against narcotics, but urged all countries threatened by poppy cultivation and narcotics production and trafficking to join hands in helping the Afghan Government implement the Counter Narcotics plan, with special focus on providing means for sustainable alternative livelihoods. He also asked that all countries do more as consumer and/or transit nations to reduce the flow of narcotics.

On the development front, Dr. Abdullah said that Afghanistan looks forward to working with the donor community in drafting the National Development Strategy, whose aim is to accelerate the pace of reconstruction with emphasis on infrastructure building, developing human and institutional capacity, agri-business and energizing the private sector.

The United Nations and other agencies will continue to play an important role in the post-Bonn period. The Foreign Minister agreed with G8 members that the UN can provide critical assistance to the efforts aimed at enhancing the rule of law, addressing issues of peace and justice, human rights and gender, and dealing with judicial and civil administration reforms among others.

During his one-day stay in London, the Afghan Foreign Minister also held a luncheon meeting with the British Minister of State at the Foreign Office, with members of the House of Commons and House of Lords Associate Parliamentary Group for the Future of Afghanistan and with representatives of the UK-based NGO community with projects in Afghanistan.

In a statement released prior to the G8 Ministerial meeting, the NGO groups called on the international community to maintain long-term commitments to helping the Afghan people to rebuild their country, and to improve progress through more appropriate investment in the economy to tackle root causes of insecurity, therefore improving human security. They called on the G8 countries to develop a long-term strategy with the Afghan government.