High-level Meeting on Afghanistan co-chaired by the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Speaking points for the remarks

Coordination

• A year ago here in New York, some of us raised the need for better coordination between the different national agendas and between the different components of our engagement.
• It is worrying that we are all still concerned about inadequate coordination. We are still wasting resources. We are still losing time, time that we will not be able to make up later.
• This is serious. It undermines our efficiency. It undermines our credibility. If the international community is unable to coordinate properly, how can we expect the Afghan Government to demonstrate clarity and leadership?
• The UN must be given greater authority to coordinate our engagement. Our preference would be both to strengthen the UN Mission and to appoint a Special Envoy to ensure coordination in Kabul and between our capitals.
• Let us at least agree today that we will give the UN Mission a stronger mandate and greater resources.
• At the same time, our call for better coordination means that we must all be prepared to be coordinated.
• And coordination must be based on the priorities of the Afghan Government, with a view to strengthening its leadership.

Narcotics

• The increase in production is alarming. This problem must be addressed with a firm hand by the Afghan Government and the international community.
• ISAF should give all possible support to the Government’s efforts, and emphasis must be put on interdiction, targeting laboratories and prosecution, as well as on creating the conditions for a well functioning legal economy.
• Better exchange of intelligence on narcotics is required. A strong border police working closely with neighbouring countries is essential.

 

The regional dimension

• Not only does Afghanistan need to be part of a cooperative region, the region also needs a stable and robust Afghanistan.
• The border jirga was an important event. But relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have not yet reached a real turning point. It is therefore important to ensure an energetic follow-up. The many visits made by President Karzai to Afghanistan’s neighbours have strengthened the political dialogue and the prospects for practical cooperation across the region.
• Both security and economic development across the region will benefit if the regional agenda is vigorously pursued. It is important that Afghanistan’s regional policy has a distinct and independent Afghan face. It must be firmly based on Afghan interests.

The local dimension

• The regional and local dimensions are interlinked. They are both key to combating the insurgency.
• Local communities will turn their backs on the Taliban if they feel a strong loyalty to the central Government. Districts and villages must feel that security, governance and development are firmly anchored in their own communities. They must feel that our efforts are based on the local people and their needs. Their interests and Government priorities must be more closely coordinated.
• We support President Karzai’s efforts to reach out to communities across the country. His success will depend on our readiness to show respect for the Government’s own plans.
• If we – our PRTs and NGOs – follow our own agendas, we will undercut the Government’s efforts to strengthen its links with local leadership structures. Thus, we will undermine efforts to create a deeper sense of loyalty and thereby the fight against insurgency.
• The true measure of our success is the number of Afghan flags – not foreign flags – we see outside schools, clinics and other institutions.

The police

• We are seriously worried about the slow progress in the training and deployment of the Afghan police force. This is probably the weakest link in our overall efforts.
• The deployment of the EU police mission is a positive step. But our level of ambition is too low. We cannot tolerate a situation where military progress is constantly being neutralised by a lack of follow-up in the areas of security, governance and development.
• We need a police force that is able to play a stronger role in consolidating military progress. A police force that is well trained and well equipped. A police force with a sense of loyalty to the local communities.
• We are losing time and credibility every day. We urgently need to review our police development strategy and to raise our ambitions well beyond what they are today.
• Strengthening and reforming the Ministry of the Interior is pivotal in this regard.

A political solution

• We all know that the conflict cannot be ended by military means alone. A political solution is vital.
• And winning the loyalty and support of local communities – involving them in the development of good governance, security and development – must be a key part of our efforts to reach a political solution. It is right to talk to anyone who is ready to work constructively with the Government.
• At the same time, the efforts to reach a political solution must not compromise the progress made. We must move forward in a more inclusive manner, creating wider ownership of what has been achieved so far.