Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Reaching Goals Needs International Assistance: CEO

Reaching Goals Needs  International Assistance: CEO

KABUL - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah on Sunday said Afghanistan needed international community’s assistance to execute government’s programmes for economic growth.
Abdullah was addressing the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB)’s special meeting on Brussels Conference to be jointly hosted by the Afghan government and the European Union in the Belgium capital on October 4-5.
The Brussels conference will gather up to 70 countries and 30 international organizations and agencies and will provide a platform for the government of Afghanistan to set out its vision and track record on reform. For the international community, it will be the opportunity to signal sustained political and financial support to Afghan people.
Abdullah said there were both challenges and opportunities and the Afghan government was trying to take advantage of the opportunities and about bring about reforms, improve the economic situation, prevent administrative corruption and improve the law and order.  
 “Without effective governance, we can’t succeed. Some people believe without peace we will not be able to build our country and I also believe this.”  
He said the Afghan people wanted peace but they also wanted their government to seriously fight against terrorist organizations.  
Abdullah said the Afghan government was ready to reconcile with insurgents who were willing to shun violence and bloodshed and those who supported the development of Afghanistan.
The CEO said the government appreciated security forces efforts at defending the country under tough circumstances. He also thanked NATOI’s Resolute Support (RS) mission for its support in this regard.
Abdullah asked the Afghans to have patience and remain united because Afghanistan’s was an invincible country.
He said the government’s focus on governance had improved but reaching the determined goals needed the international community’s assistance.
The government also has programmes for development of agriculture, mining, education and public health fields, he said, adding there was also the need for international community’s support in these areas.
Abdullah said the Afghan government also took into serious consideration the development of entrepreneurship and the government’s programmes in this regard would be presented at the Brussels Conference.
He called unemployment and poverty in Afghanistan as convulsive and hoped the two issues would be paid attention at the Brussels conference.  
He suggested the Brussels conference should consider technical issues in the unity government and said there was a dire need for social and economic reforms especially in the area of fighting corruption.
Abdullah said holding parliamentary elections in 2017 in a free and transparent manner had also been included in the agenda of the Brussels conference.   
Stefano Maservisi, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) told the session said: “President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah have strong messages of Afghan people for international partners. The government‘s commitment should be appreciated and we are committed to keeping our promises as well.”
He said the Brussels conference was a new chapter of assistance to Afghanistan from the international community.
He evaluated Sunday’s conference as successful and hoped the Brussels conference would also be like today’s one. (Pajhwok)