The situation in Afghanistan

Statement by Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan in the General Assembly on Agenda Item 19: "The situation in Afghanistan" 5 November 2007

Mr. President,

  1. This debate is a timely opportunity for the international community to review the situation in Afghanistan and to enhance its contribution to the realization of our agreed objectives for peace, stability and development in this country.

Mr. President,

  1. Pakistan has a vital stake in the success of these efforts. Pakistan has suffered directly and more than any other country from the consequences of the decades-long conflict and human tragedy in Afghanistan. It has impacted our social and economic fabric, disturbed peace and tranquility of our border regions, and given rise to the common threat of extremism and terrorism. Our commitment to peace and stability in Afghanistan derives from our vision of common strategic and economic interests between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as the bonds of geography, history, faith and culture, which link the destinies of our two nations. Peace and stability in the region is also essential to enable Afghanistan and Pakistan to serve as the hub for shortest and most economical corridors for trade in raw materials, goods and energy between Central Asia, South and West Asia and beyond. Pakistan would host the Third Regional Economic Cooperation Conference early next year.
  2. The cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan spans the entire spectrum. There is dialogue and regular exchange of visits at the highest levels. Bilateral trade is now 1.5 billion dollars. Despite our own financial constraints, we are participating significantly in Afghanistan's economic development and reconstruction. Our 300 million dollars assistance package for Afghanistan is the biggest cooperation program Pakistan has with any country. Of this, 130 million dollars have been utilized on various projects.
  3. We are also engaged in security and intelligence cooperation, including through the Tripartite Commission, which also includes the United States and the ISAF. Much of the success in the campaign against terrorism has been achieved with our support and cooperation. We have made enormous sacrifices, more than any other country, in this struggle. In order to interdict illegal cross border movement, which is a joint responsibility, Pakistan has established 1000 border posts and deployed over 100,000 troops on our side of the border with Afghanistan.
  4. Indeed one of the reasons for the latest developments in Pakistan was the need to deal with the threat of terrorism and extremism. This should not be a matter of concern, especially to our brothers in Afghanistan; on the contrary, it will enhance our ability to ensure security on our frontier and contribute to regional stability.

Mr. President,

  1. One of the major outstanding challenges we face relates to Afghan refugees. Pakistan continues to host more than 2 million Afghan refugees. We have now agreed on the objective of repatriation of all Afghan refugees living in Pakistan within the framework of the Tri-partite Agreement of 2 August 2007. Besides, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the UNHCR have also reached agreement for expedited closure of four Afghan refugee camps close to the border because of security concerns. Voluntary, safe and orderly return of refugees and their reintegration will contribute to the stability of Afghanistan and the region. We expect the United Nations and the international community to assist in this objective with all necessary resources.

Mr. President,

  1. The complex and inter-connected challenges in Afghanistan require a corresponding integrated, coherent and coordinated response. Though relying on international support, such a response must have strong national ownership, which is indispensable to effectively tackle the multitude of problems since these are mostly internal problems of Afghanistan. Extension of government authority and indigenous capacity building are essential to increasingly assume responsibility while progressively reducing reliance on foreign partners. A successful strategy in Afghanistan has to be based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the political, security and development aspects in parallel. Political dialogue and reconciliation have to be an essential part of this strategy. Such a strategy would have to build peace painstakingly, district by district, region by region, since circumstances in each area differ from each other.
  2. Security is a major challenge throughout Afghanistan. The report of the Secretary General notes that at least 78 districts of Afghanistan are currently rated as extremely risky. Besides, there are large parts of Afghanistan, which are ungoverned space or under parallel power structures controlled by insurgents. These are the sanctuaries that need to be eliminated first and foremost instead of seeking to externalize Afghanistan's problems. Apart from insurgent and terrorist activity, insecurity and violence are caused by several other factors including factional fighting, criminal activity, illegally armed groups, warlords and drug barons. A strong nexus has developed between drug trade and terrorist activity.
  3. An objective analysis and proper understanding of this complex security matrix is required to formulate an effective response. The core of violence and conflict emanates from terrorist groups, foreign militants such as Al-Qaeda, and militant Taliban who are not prepared to reconcile and give up the path of violence. These elements must be frontally confronted, but the military strategy must avoid civilian casualties and should be done in a manner so as not to exacerbate the alienation and grievances of the population. While terrorists have to be defeated, the extremists need to be convinced and converted. The Taliban are part of the Afghan social phenomenon. Most of them can be won over. President Karzai's offer of dialogue and reconciliation to the Taliban is therefore welcome. Irrespective of its rejection by some Taliban leaders, we believe this is the right approach and should be pursued. The report of the Secretary General also calls for a more comprehensive counter-insurgency strategy including political outreach to disaffected groups. Pakistan is assisting in peace and reconciliation efforts through the Joint Jirga process. A smaller 50-member jirga has been mandated to, among other things, expedite the ongoing process of dialogue for peace and reconciliation. This smaller jirga is meeting now in Islamabad.
  4. We also need to pay attention to the concerns and aspirations of the common population in Afghanistan which in certain areas and for diverse reasons, has evoked sympathy for the view point of the Taliban and is thus susceptible to extremism. While isolating Al-Qaeda, terrorists and die-hard militants, it is important to win the hearts and minds of this population. Good governance and rule of law are required to counter the problems of neglect, exclusion and interference, which are common causes of grievances.
  5. Hearts and minds cannot be won where there is neither security nor any tangible improvement in the lives of the ordinary people. Despite improvement in several economic and social indicators, the pace of economic development and reconstruction in Afghanistan remains slow and uneven. The problem is more severe in areas where insecurity abounds, thus further alienating those populations. There is a need to drastically increase the resources for economic recovery and reconstruction besides ensuring the fulfillment of all existing commitments. It is also important to develop and utilize local and national capacities for development and reconstruction activities. This will significantly reduce the costs of projects and ensure that most of the aid money is spent for the purposes it is intended.
  6. The second successive increase and record poppy cultivation in Afghanistan this year is perhaps the most disturbing development and a grave danger considering the crosscutting nature of the drugs problem. The failed drug strategy is fast converting Afghanistan into a virtual drug-economy. Drug money is financing terrorist and insurgent activity. A comprehensive and balanced counter-narcotics strategy is required with multifold resources. It should focus on providing gainful and sustainable livelihoods in the rural areas and break the link between drug money and the financing of terrorist and insurgent activity and criminality in Afghanistan. It is also vital to address the other crosscutting problem of corruption. The report of the Secretary General and the draft resolution under consideration note the effects of corruption on security, good governance, counter-narcotics efforts and economic development. In this context also, it is important to build capacity of Afghan national security institutions. Properly trained, equipped, paid and ethnically balanced professional national forces will also help reduce the reliance on foreign forces for providing security, counter-insurgency and law and order.
  7. We would like to thank the delegation of Germany for leading the process of consultations on the draft resolution. We believe the text addresses all the relevant issues in a comprehensive and balanced manner. Pakistan has, therefore, joined in co-sponsoring the draft resolution and hopes it will be adopted by consensus.

Mr. President,

  1. No doubt the challenges faced by Afghanistan are immense. The road to durable peace and development is difficult. But the objective is achievable. Afghanistan is fortunate to enjoy the continuing strong support of the international community. From the neighbouring countries to the international partners including NATO/ISAF to the United Nations, all have an important stake in the success of Afghanistan. Their commitment and engagement will be required for the long run, for there can be no short cut, certainly no cut and run success in Afghanistan. What is needed at this stage is to combine pool all our resources and coordinate our policies and approaches into a comprehensive and winning strategy in Afghanistan. Pakistan will continue to play its leading role in this collective endeavor.

Thank you.