LITHUANIA WILL SUPPORT RECONSTRUCTION OF GHOR PROVINCE ALSO AFTER FULL TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITIES TO AFGHAN AUTHORITIES, LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS
On 4 April at the conference on the development of Afghanistan’s Ghor province in Kabul, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis called on strengthening efforts to engage the entire province in the process of transfer of responsibilities to the Afghan authorities.
He also stressed that Lithuania would continue to provide assistance to Afghanistan also after the completion of activities by the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Ghor.“We’re excited that the second phase of transfer of responsibilities comprises also the Chaghcharan district. This also shows that our joint efforts yield bountiful fruits. Now we must join our effort aiming at the expansion of the third phase of the process of transfer throughout the whole territory of Ghor. This would be a significant step towards transferring complete responsibility for the people to the Afghan authorities,” the Minister said.
According to Ažubalis, after the achievement of this objective and completion of the mission of the PRT, Lithuania will provide assistance to Afghanistan differently.
“Lithuania will continue to provide development assistance and will support the strengthening of civilian and military capabilities also after the process of transfer of responsibilities is completed. We will continue to contribute to the reconstruction of Ghor province, providing support in the areas of administrative capacity building, rural development and health care, and will include the Ghor issue in the agenda of relevant international meetings,” the Minister said.
Ažubalis stressed Lithuania’s commitment to continue to provide assistance in the above-mentioned areas during the process of transfer also at the meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the same day.
According to Ažubalis, Lithuania plans to lead the Ghor Provincial Reconstruction Group until the end of 2013. “During this time, the group will train Afghan police and military forces, preparing them to take over full security responsibility,” the Minister assured.
At the meeting, he said that while Lithuania and allies continued to support Afghanistan, this country had to continue to fulfil obligations, which were undertaken at the conference in Kabul in 2010 and at the Bonn conference in 2011.
The conference on the development of Ghor province was co-organised by the Lithuanian MFA and the Special Mission in Afghanistan, the Afghan Independent Directorate of Local Governance, the Provincial Development Committee in Ghor province, and the United Nations.
The event evaluated results of donor activities in Ghor province, their future obligations and discussed opportunities for improving cooperation and coordination of activities, priority activities, future plans for Lithuania’s participation in the reconstruction of the province after the completion of the process of transfer of responsibilities for the province to the Afghan authorities.
The conference was attended by representatives of the central government of Afghanistan, officials from Ghor province, representatives of non-governmental organizations and foreign countries.
On 3-4 April in Kabul, Ažubalis also held meetings with NATO Civilian Representative for Afghanistan Simon Gass, Deputy International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Commander Adrian Bradshaw, Afghanistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin and EU Special Representative for Afghanistan Vygaudas Ušackas.
