Afghanistan: Karzai to propose list of key ministers on Wednesday

Afghanistan's President-elect will present a list of key ministers for the approval of the country's tribal council, the Loya Jirga, tomorrow, according to a United Nations spokesman.

As the Loya Jirga entered its eighth day, President-elect Hamid Karzai told delegates, "If you make a decision about the National Assembly by tomorrow, I will also present the cabinet positions and the personnel tomorrow," UN spokesman Fred Eckhard told a press briefing in New York. Mr. Karzai also told the Loya Jirga he would propose a reduction in the number of ministers, but their ranks would be representative of all Afghans.

Meanwhile, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) regional coordinator for north Afghanistan announced the launch today of a national media campaign to inform Afghans of "the volume of aid coming here, the insecurity and the impact it has on the aid community."

The campaign comes in response to a series of security incidents in the north of the country that are threatening the delivery of assistance by the United Nations and aid organizations.

UNAMA's Farhana Faruqi said that many international non-governmental aid organizations had already suspended or were considering suspending their operations as a result of violence and threats against their staff.

Over the weekend, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, called on the new Transitional Government and local authorities to ensure the security of humanitarian workers, particularly in the strife-torn north.

The campaign aims to support that call by informing "the public authorities and factional and military commanders of the volume of assistance and the number of beneficiaries in the region," according to Ms. Faruqi.