Ambassador Hakimi Meets with Delegates from The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia

Washington, D.C. (April 17, 2012) - Today Ambassador Hakimi met with a group of 25 delegates from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, a private, nonprofit organization focused on providing education to the public about significant national and international issues.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide a forum for comments and questions about major improvements in Afghanistan, as well as the main challenges facing the country.

Among the issues discussed were the major ongoing processes in the country, such as transition in security responsibilities from the international forces to Afghan National Security Forces, peace efforts, the status and prospects of economic development in the country, and the importance of an Afghanistan-U.S. strategic partnership.

The Ambassador highlighted the recent improvements in access to and quality of health care, achievements in the education sector, and advances in other sectors like communications and information technology.

He also talked about major challenges in the area of security, and highlighted the importance of continued and long-term support by the international community to sustain the Afghan development process.

At the end, Ambassador Hakimi responded to questions by the members of the Council on a variety of issues including transition, reconciliation, the Afghanistan-US strategic partnership and Afghanistan’s vision for the future.