Recent progress in Afghanistan raises stakes for success, says outgoing UN envoy

The successful conclusion of Afghanistan's recent constitutional Loya Jirga promises great hope, but the country faces many onerous challenges if it is to capitalize on that accomplishment, the outgoing senior United Nations envoy to Afghanistan told the Security Council today.

Lakhdar Brahimi, giving his final briefing as the Secretary-General's Special Representative to Afghanistan, said improving security around the country, strengthening the rule of law, broadening the Government's popular base and increasing the pace of reconstruction are crucial goals if the gains are not to be wasted.

He said there were too many indications over the last year that there was not enough progress in achieving these goals. The security situation remains poor, especially in the south, east and southeast of the country, while many Pashtuns feel the government does not give them a fair degree of representation, according to the envoy.

Outside the Council, when questioned by reporters, Mr. Brahimi said he was doubtful that Afghanistan could meet the timetable outlined at the UN-brokered Bonn conference in late 2001 of holding national presidential and legislative elections by June this year.

"I think I have said that June for the presidential and legislative elections is not realistic any more. How this is going to be now revised - are you going to have presidential elections alone, and then later legislative elections, or postpone both for a longer period of time? - is up to the people who are going to be involved in Afghanistan," he said.

Mr. Brahimi said he expected logistical problems would delay the elections by a couple of months, but he was confident they would be held before the end of this year.

During his briefing to the Council, Mr. Brahimi said the achievements of the past two years in Afghanistan - such as the constitutional Loya Jirga, the formation of a national army and police, and the avoidance of large-scale conflict or humanitarian crisis - "mean there is now even more to lose and more to protect."

Earlier this month, the 502 delegates to the Loya Jirga, or grand council, reached agreement on establishing a constitution for Afghanistan. The new document outlines a presidential system of government, a bicameral legislature, equal rights for women and a judicial system that complies with Islam.

Mr. Brahimi added that the proposal for a second international conference on Afghanistan - supported by the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan - offers a way to re-energize the international commitment to the peace process.

At the same meeting of the Security Council, Mr. Annan paid tribute to Mr. Brahimi's work in Afghanistan and echoed the envoy's comments on the importance of tackling the challenges of security, governance and reconstruction. [It was also announced today that Mr. Brahimi had been named as a Special Adviser to the Secretary-General.]

Later Chile's Ambassador, Heraldo Muñoz, who holds the Council's rotating Presidency for January, read out a press statement expressing the Council's gratitude for Mr. Brahimi's work.

He also said Council Members "agreed that the creation of a secure environment and the provision of sufficient funding remain important conditions to hold national elections mandated by Bonn."

Video of Security Council meeting

Listen to UN Radio report