Ban expresses solidarity with UN staff during unannounced visit to Kabul

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made an unannounced visit today to Kabul, where he met with United Nations staff in the wake of last week’s attack that left five colleagues dead, and assured the Afghan people of continued UN support during a meeting with President Hamid Karzai.

“I have come to Kabul to express my solidarity with the UN staff and Afghan people at this difficult time,” Mr. Ban said in remarks to the press in the Afghan capital.

Five UN staff members were killed and nine others injured in an attack on a guest house in Kabul on 28 October, for which the Taliban has claimed responsibility.

Last week Mr. Ban had paid tribute to the victims of the attack, saying that “those who gave their lives... came to Afghanistan armed not with guns or bullets. They came with a more powerful weapon – hope. Hope for a better day for Afghanistan and a commitment to help its people build a better world and a better future.

“We will not be deterred from this noble mission. We stand by the people of Afghanistan today, and we will do so tomorrow,” he added.

Mr. Ban met today with UN staff, and his Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Kai Eide, as well as the heads of UN agencies working in the country and security officials.

He also had what he described as “good” meetings with President Hamid Karzai as well as with Abdullah Abdullah, who announced yesterday that he is withdrawing from the presidential run-off that was scheduled for 7 November.

The Secretary-General issued a statement in Kabul responding to today’s decision by the Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) to forego a run-off vote and to declare Mr. Karzai as the winner of the 2009 presidential elections.

“Afghanistan now faces significant challenges and the new President must move swiftly to form a Government that is able to command the support of both the Afghan people and the international community,” he noted.

“The United Nations remains committed to providing every support and assistance to the new Government in helping to push forward progress for all peoples of Afghanistan.”

Prior to arriving in Afghanistan, Mr. Ban met in Dubai with some of the UN staff members who were injured in last week’s attack. The Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, Gregory Starr, accompanied the Secretary-General to Dubai and is staying on in the region to examine safety and security issues in further detail.