UN-backed blueprint for Afghanistan development finalized

A blueprint for international engagement in the development of Afghanistan over the next five years had been finalized, the United Nations Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA) announced today.

The Afghanistan Compact, to be launched at a conference in London from 31 January to 1 February, covers efforts in security, governance, human rights, the rule of law, development and counter-narcotics, UNAMA said.

“The Compact is a remarkable document, the fruit of detailed consultations between the Afghan Government and the international community,” Jean Arnault, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, said.

“It contains some key provisions on Afghan leadership, capacity-building for people and institutions, fairness and transparency aimed at making sure that international assistance to Afghanistan is not only maintained but further improved,” he added.

An Interim Afghan National Development Strategy, which will set economic and political priorities for the Government, will also be presented in London, where delegations from more than 70 interested countries and international institutions will meet.

The Compact and the Strategy aim to continue the successes of the 2001Bonn agreement, which paved the way for a new constitution, presidential elections, and country-wide parliamentary and provincial council elections culminating in last month’s inauguration of the first National Assembly for Afghanistan in decades.

“Despite Afghanistan’s remarkable progress over the last four years, huge challenges still remain to be addressed,” Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said. “The Afghanistan Compact sets a new framework for cooperation between Afghanistan and the international community. With continued international commitment we are confident that we will succeed in building on the progress we have already made.”

Also from Afghanistan today, the UN-backed Disarmament and Reintegration Commission announced that a militia commander from Logar Province south of Kabul has handed over a range of weaponry, including a SAM-7 Soviet anti-aircraft missile, to a Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups team.

At the handover ceremony, the Governor of Logar praised the action taken by Commander Haji Mohammad Nabi Ahmadzai and called for others to follow his example.