Pdf | 473.47 Kb

6/28/12 Recent Long-Term Commitments Pledged for Afghanistan Critical to Future Stability, as Transition Made … 27 June 2012 Security Council SC/10688 Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York Security Council 6793rd Meeting (AM) RECENT LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS PLEDGED FOR AFGHANISTAN CRITICAL TO FUTURE STABILITY, AS TRANSITION MADE TO AFGHAN SECURITY LEADERSHIP POST-2014, SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD Peacekeeping Head: Reinforces Message That Transition Does Not Mean ‘Abandonment’; UNODC Executive Director: Drugs, Crime Can Undermine Attempts to Address Challenges Commitments affirmed in recent international conferences to long-term support to Afghanistan beyond the 2014 date for transition to national leadership, particularly in the security sector, were critical for the future stability of the country and must be fulfilled, the top United Nations peacekeeping official told the Security Council this morning. “Providing this level of clarity and commitment on continued support to the security sector helps to dampen growing anxiety both within Afghanistan as well as among its international partners as to the post-2014 situation,” Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said in a briefing in which he was joined by Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). “It also reinforces the message from the international community that transition will not translate into abandonment of Afghanistan,” Mr. Ladsous added. He said that significant progress had been made during international conferences in Kabul and Chicago, with a third to take place next month in Tokyo, beginning to define and shape the future of the country “as it makes its way towards self-reliance”. Progress in regional coordination and confidence- building had been made at the Kabul ministerial conference on 14 June as part of the Istanbul Process in a wide range of areas, he added, with more work expected and United Nations support requested in each initiative. In security, development and good governance, he stressed, it was critical that all commitments were lived up to. To that end, he welcomed the development of a “mutual accountability mechanism” to hold both the Afghan Government and donors accountable for implementation of their pledges, expected to be agreed upon in Tokyo. He warned, however, that expectations for Afghan achievements must be realistic, keeping in mind the overall objective of a stable, self-reliant country with effective institutions delivering essential services, justice and opportunities to its people. “We will only reach this goal if we continue to invest in Afghanistan’s maturing institutions and in the priorities Afghans themselves set,” he said. In other areas, he said that urgent, immediate needs on the ground must not be ignored by donors as long-term concerns were considered. He also described United Nations assistance to national preparation for successful 2014 elections in full accord with the Constitution. On the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), he said that due to budgetary cuts requested, discussions must take the necessary constraints on activities into account and an www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2012/sc10688.doc.htm 1/17 6/28/12 Recent Long-Term Commitments Pledged for Afghanistan Critical to Future Stability, as Transition Made … appropriate consultative process, first and foremost with the Government, for an ultimate, informed decision of the Council on the future framework of United Nation activities in Afghanistan. Citing figures that showed Afghanistan had returned to high opium production, Mr. Fedotov said that the Afghan counter-narcotics authorities were demonstrating their commitment to combating poppy cultivation, but eradication efforts needed to be pursued on every possible front and be complemented by alternative development programmes. Describing momentum built for further international action, he said that while there were many challenges in the country, it was important to realize that illicit drugs and crime were capable of undermining attempts to deal with them all. Afghanistan’s representative, speaking next, describing the partnerships being developed with numerous other States regionally and internationally, said: “Transition to Afghan ownership and leadership is our number one strategic priority,” and in that regard, reported steady progress in assumption for security responsibilities, adding “the need for sustained support for training and equipping our national security forces is inevitable”. He went on to say that, going forward, another core priority would be a strong new focus on establishing “a more clean and competent Government”, and described priorities in agricultural development, bolstering human resources, improving infrastructure and developing the private sector, among other areas. He pledged adherence to democratic principles and women’s rights in reconciliation efforts, as well as continued devotion to eradicating the opium menace and overcoming continued terrorism. In urging continued partnership in all those areas, he concluded: “Let us remain as committed as ever to complete the journey we began a decade ago.” Pakistan’s representative, describing great costs to his country in dealing with security challenges and refugees emanating from the Afghan situation, expressed deep concern over provocations from Afghan areas with sizable Afghan forces and international presence, including a recent attack on a Pakistan border post. Despite such provocations, “we neither play the blame game, nor conduct diplomacy through media”, he said. “Such restraint, however, should not be taken for granted. Preventing recurrence of such incidents is absolutely imperative.” Other representatives of Council members, Afghanistan’s neighbours and international partners welcomed progress in the transition process and in shaping international assistance to the country for the period afterwards. Many described bilateral commitments and many warned against underestimating the challenges that remained in security, development, governance, human rights and the fight against opium trafficking. The Assistant Secretary General for Operations of NATO spoke on efforts to further reduce civilian casualties and provide a smooth transition to Afghan leadership and responsibility for security by 2014, and NATO’s own transition to training and advising. The Russian Federation’s representative stressed that further determinations of NATO presence in the country should be sanctioned by the Security Council. Also speaking today were representatives of Germany, United Kingdom, India, Guatemala, United States, Portugal, Colombia, South Africa, Morocco, Togo, Azerbaijan, France, China, Australia, Japan, Turkey, New Zealand, Canada, Latvia and Iran. The Head of the Delegation of the European Union also spoke. The meeting began at 10:25 a.m. and ended at 1:43 p.m. Background The Security Council had before it the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implication for international peace and security (document S/2012/462), which provides a summary of key political and security developments and regional and international events www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2012/sc10688.doc.htm 2/17 6/28/12 Recent Long-Term Commitments Pledged for Afghanistan Critical to Future Stability, as Transition Made … related to Afghanistan and an update on the activities of the United Nations in Afghanistan, including significant humanitarian, development and human rights efforts, since 5 March 2012. In the report, the Secretary-General says there is room for some cautious optimism, given developments in the security transition, human development, civil society and Afghan institutional frameworks. Serious challenges remains, however, given the military drawdown and an expected reduction in development assistance, giving rise to uncertainty about the sustainability of such gains. Significant economic impacts, job losses and perhaps even greater humanitarian needs, at least in the short and medium terms, can be foreseen in a country with some of the lowest human development indicators in the world, he says. It is, therefore, a priority, he says, to build national political consensus together with predictability and confidence in mutual commitments and long-term international engagement and support. He welcomes a decrease in security incidents and civilian casualties in the period from 1 February to 30 April, but notes that 44 civilians, including 10 children, were killed and 69 civilians were injured on 6 June. The suicide attacks, improvised explosive devices and airstrikes in Faryab, Kandahar, Paktika and Logar produced the deadliest single day in terms of civilian deaths up to that point in 2012. He reiterated concern over casualties from airstrikes by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), as well. He says that the Government, with international support, should continue efforts to reinforce legitimacy and emphasize sustainable security gains, by a legal framework for the operations of Afghan forces and detention. On the peace process, he says engagement and confidence-building among all parties must be pursued despite setbacks. He welcomes the appointment of Salahuddin Rabbani as Chair of the High Peace Council and supports the emphasis on a broad-based and inclusive peace process at the central and local levels, in which he stresses that women must have a more prominent role. The United

Load more