Secretary-General, at North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit, Offers Continued United Nations Support to Afghan Security Efforts

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, delivered by Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit Meeting on Afghanistan, held in Warsaw from 8 to 9 July:

Afghanistan has undergone an historic transition in the two years since the last NATO Summit.  Having assumed full leadership and ownership of its national affairs, the Government of Afghanistan has put forward an impressive reform agenda, endeavoured to strengthen regional economic integration and sought to activate an inclusive peace process.  I commend President Ashraf Ghani and the Government of Afghanistan, as well as the international partners who have remained engaged in, and committed to, achieving a more stable and prosperous future for the country.  Your meeting today delivers an important message of continued support at a time when the Government and people of Afghanistan continue to confront a challenging security environment.

The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces are demonstrating determination and greater capability to meet the security challenges.  I commend their bravery and the purposeful response by their leadership in taking on board the lessons of the past year.  The reciprocal commitments by the Government of Afghanistan and international partners at this Summit attest to the strength of the partnership as it handles evolving needs and priorities.

I pay tribute to the men and women of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and NATO, and honour those who have given their lives.

Recognizing the need to tackle corruption, undertake governance reforms, and address the illicit economy, the Government has articulated a clear path for reform.  That agenda, known as “Realising Self-Reliance”, and the subsequent framework agreed with donor countries, specify important deliverables by the end of 2016, including in the areas of human rights and the rule of law.  Given the difficult task for the Government in managing security costs while funding humanitarian and development initiatives, I welcome the recognition of the interrelated nature of these issues in advance of the Brussels Conference.

The United Nations will continue to support the Government’s efforts to protect the country’s people, and to persuade all parties to the conflict to abide by their obligations.  I welcome the recent discussions in Kabul between the Government, the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and the NATO Resolute Support Mission on the prevention and mitigation of civilian casualties.  I encourage continued international support for national efforts to finalize and implement the National Civilian Casualties Prevention and Mitigation Policy.  Engagement of the United Nations in this critical area is part of our commitment to Afghanistan.

Thank you for your resolve in supporting a peaceful and secure Afghan future.