OFFICIALS MEET TO FURTHER IMPLEMENT THE
US-AFGHAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Embassy of Afghanistan
03/22/2006
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The first ministerial
level meeting for the further implementation of the US-Afghan
Strategic Partnership was held on March 20-21 in Washington,
following the declaration by President Karzai and President
Bush of a US-Afghan Strategic Partnership in May 2005. The Afghan
delegation headed by Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah and Ambassador
Said Tayeb Jawad and senior US officials from the White House,
Department of State, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce,
Department of Treasury, Department of Justice, USAID, and the
US Trade Representative discussed key provisions of the Partnership
and the progress made in the areas of security, governance,
and prosperity. The delegations established specific mechanisms
to further enhance strategic partnership between the two countries.
The United States praised Afghanistan’s
significant achievements. Both parties reiterated that the Afghan
people have made tremendous sacrifices and shown great courage
in the pursuit of freedom. The United States shares Afghanistan’s
vision of a country that is democratic, at peace, and working
to improve the lives of all Afghans and that plays an important
and positive role in the affairs of the region and the world.
The United States reaffirmed its commitment to
Afghanistan’s long-term security and both sides agreed
to explore the establishment of a mechanism to deepen security
cooperation between the two countries, including the establishment
of a Defense Cooperation Forum. The US also affirmed its commitment
to further building the operational capacity of the Afghan National
Army and the Afghan National Police and providing them with
quality equipment. The US supports Afghanistan’s participation
in a bilaterally tailored program of “Peace for Partnership”
with NATO to ensure long-term strategic partnership between
Afghanistan, the NATO member states, and the United States.
The US reaffirmed its military commitment to counterterrorism
in the south and east of Afghanistan where ISAF would be fully
deployed by the end of 2006.
In the governance area, the US committed to launching
the Afghan Building Capacity (ABC) program to enhance institutional
capacity at both the national and provincial level, including
training trainers, increasing people-to-people educational and
professional exchanges, and bolstering the management skills
of officials and their capacity to improve the delivery of public
services.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to reducing
the production and trafficking of narcotics in Afghanistan.
The Government of Afghanistan will continue widespread operations
now underway to eradicate opium poppies and prosecute drug traffickers
and those involved in narcotics trade, while the US will further
provide alternative livelihood assistance to Afghan farmers.
The two delegations agreed on continuing efforts
to improve trade and infrastructure links between Afghanistan
and its neighbors as a crucial step in stimulating economic
growth in the region both to support Afghanistan’s initiative
to restore the country’s historic role as a land bridge
connecting Central and South Asia and to foster cooperation
between Afghanistan and its neighbors and deter meddling in
Afghanistan’s internal affairs.
To assist with Afghanistan’s economic growth
and create more jobs in the country, the US Administration will
work with Congress for the establishment of Reconstruction Opportunity
Zones in Afghanistan. This program will grant duty-free treatment
to selected goods produced jointly in designated areas of Afghanistan.
The US supports Afghanistan’s participation in the Central
Asian Trade and Investment Framework Agreement in order to facilitate
Afghanistan’s integration into regional and world economies
and appropriate international organizations.
Moreover, to encourage the reconstruction of Afghanistan
and investments in the people of Afghanistan and encourage other
nations to do so, both delegations endorsed the next steps for
the Businesses Building Bridges (BBB) initiative for strengthening
the private sector in Afghanistan. This project will enlist
top US business leaders who will provide strategic guidance
on how to activate private sector development, as well as build
partnership and mentoring links with Afghan entrepreneurs.
The next US-Afghan Strategic Partnership meeting
will be held in Kabul later this year.
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