Afghanistan, 2007

Over the 62 years of its

existence, the General Assembly has witnessed many

moments of historical reckoning. It was one such

moment, five years ago, when Afghanistan returned to

the Assembly as a country emerging out of a long, dark

era of war, violence and terror. As I stood before the

Assembly in September 2002, the challenges of

restoring security to the lives of the Afghan people and

of rebuilding Afghanistan into a stable and democratic

country seemed all but insuperable. The fate of a

nation swayed between the promise of a safer and more

prosperous future, on the one hand, and the enormity of

the tasks, on the other hand.

Today, efforts in support of stability and

reconstruction in Afghanistan are proceeding resolutely

apace. The Afghan people continue to make the best of

the new opportunities. Our economy is surging ahead.

The legitimacy of our newly founded institutions is

gradually taking root. Our society is brimming with

freedom and activity.

For too long, Afghanistan was in an unenviable

position in terms of most human development

indicators. That situation is no longer acceptable, and

is changing rapidly. Today more Afghans enjoy access

to health and education than ever before in our history.

We have very fortunately cut our child mortality rate,

which was one of the highest in the world just two

years ago, by 25 per cent. As a result, over 85,000

more children have a chance to live today.

For the first time in 40 years, Afghanistan is set

once again to become self-sufficient in food

production. Already, the fruits of relative stability and

increased prosperity in Afghanistan are spilling over

the borders to the wider region. Having enjoyed

unprecedented growth in our regional trade over the

past six years, we are now moving to consolidate

Afghanistan’s role in the economic integration of the

region. Earlier this year, we assumed membership of

the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

(SAARC). The significance of that step lies in the

potential for Afghanistan to connect South Asia to

Central Asia and the Middle East in commerce and

interaction.

Last month, President Rahmon of Tajikistan and I

were joined by the United States Secretary of

Commerce to inaugurate a transit bridge financed by

the United States that connects Afghanistan with

Tajikistan and beyond. That bridge, alongside many

other infrastructure projects we have completed, is to

play a significant role in the further economic

integration of the region.

Make no mistake: despite our achievements, a

safer and brighter future for Afghanistan still hinges on

many serious challenges. Poverty, underdevelopment,

climatic hardships and, above all, the menaces of

terrorism and narcotics, are challenges of global

proportions that continue to be shared by Afghanistan

as a member of the global village.

To the extent that terrorism remains a threat,

world citizens will never be safe. Six years after

Afghanistan’s liberation from the grip of international

terrorists, we are still grappling with this threat on a

daily basis. Terrorists continue to kill innocent people,

including those who have come from the outside world

to help. The past two years have witnessed a

significant increase in terrorist attacks carried out with

new and brutal tactics such as beheadings, kidnappings

and the burning of schools and clinics.

Terrorism can only be overcome if it is addressed

appropriately across its regional and international

dimensions. We are monitoring with deep concern the

continued presence of a terrorist infrastructure in our

region, and condemn, in equally strong terms, the

atrocities that terrorists are committing in places

beyond our borders.

Recognizing that constructive regional

cooperation is vital to a successful counterterrorism

strategy, we proposed the holding of a joint jirga, or

council, between Afghanistan and Pakistan. We are

pleased with the support that that initiative has

received from our friends in the international

community. The first joint peace council between

Afghanistan and Pakistan was held in Kabul last

month. It was a promising step in harnessing the

unequivocal support of civil societies in both countries

in our common fight against terrorism and extremism.

We expect that the outcome of the council will

translate into concrete action.

While we continue our struggle against terrorism,

we will also focus on reconciliation with those that are

not part of Al Qaida and other terrorist networks.

I also note, with deep concern, the particularly

heinous use by terrorists of local populations as human

shields, resulting in the loss of civilian lives. While

condemning such deliberate targeting of civilians in the

strongest possible terms, I would like to emphasize the

need for maximum caution on the part of the

international forces operating in Afghanistan, as well

as for increased coordination with Afghan authorities,

in order to avoid civilian casualties.

Narcotics is another global peril that, like

terrorism, seriously undermines the stability and well-

being of our societies. In Afghanistan, that scourge is

the legacy of the decades of misfortunes that befell our

country — from the widespread despair induced by war

and oppression, to drought and climatic hardships. We

are working with our international partners to tackle

the menace. We will prioritize the provision of

alternative livelihoods to farmers and expedite

implementation of other strategies, including poppy

eradication and the interdiction of traffickers.

However, addressing the world’s drug challenge must

involve focus on the far greater dimensions of the drug

trade that lie outside Afghanistan, such as fighting the

international drug mafia, ensuring stricter border

control, and reducing demand in foreign markets.

Climate change has rightly been recognized as a

serious challenge facing the entire world. No country,

developed or developing, is immune to its impact.

Yesterday’s high-level event on that important topic

was an essential step forward in strengthening the

resolve of the international community to address that

global threat with unity. We fully support the

recommendations of the Chairman’s summary.

We are also watching the situation in the Middle

East with deep concern. In particular, we remain

concerned about the situation in Palestine and call for

the full realization of the rights of our Palestinian

brothers and sisters, including their right to an

independent State, living side by side with its

neighbours in peace and coexistence.

The adoption of the Iraq Compact, sponsored by

the United Nations and the international community,

was an achievement marking Iraq’s new partnership

with the international community to consolidate peace

and promote social and economic development. We,

the Afghan people, wish our brothers and sisters in Iraq

every success in achieving their aspiration of a

peaceful and prosperous Iraq.

Allow me to thank our partners in the

international community, the United States, Japan,

members of NATO, the European Union, our brothers

in the Islamic world, our neighbours, China, India,

Australia and all other countries for supporting

Afghanistan during these years of challenge to our

country. We appreciate the role that the United Nations

and the Secretary-General are playing in coordinating

the international community’s role in the development

process in Afghanistan. I am particularly thankful to

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his initiative, two

days ago, of calling a high-level international meeting

on Afghanistan, at which our partners once again

reaffirmed their commitment to Afghanistan’s

rebuilding and reconstruction.

Six years ago, in an unprecedented convergence

of interests, the international community united behind

Afghanistan, facing up to the inescapable reality that

the world’s security had come to depend on stability

and progress in Afghanistan. Today, many of the

nations represented here can rightly take pride in what

we have achieved together. I thank them all for their

commitment and for the steadfast support they have

provided to Afghanistan over the past six years.

Without that support, the progress we have made in

Afghanistan would be simply unthinkable.