Equipo Nizkor - EU Says Geneva Conference is An ‘Important Opportunity’.

Last week government said will attend the Geneva Conference and will try to create a single definition of “Afghanistan’s peace” for regional and world countries.

The European Council said in a statement on Monday that the Geneva ministerial conference on Afghanistan on November27 and 28 November will be an important opportunity to take stock of progress on mutually agreed reforms made since the Brussels Conference in 2016 and set a forward-looking agenda for peace, stability and sustainable development.

“The Council adopted conclusions on Afghanistan. The Council reaffirms its long-term commitment to support the people of Afghanistan in their path towards peace, security and prosperity. The Council welcomes the provisional application of the Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development (CAPD) as an important step in bilateral relations between the EU and Afghanistan,” it said.

The statement also said that the council recalled the EU's support for political dialogue and economic cooperation between Afghanistan and neighbouring countries and the wider region, including Central Asian countries, through the establishment of networks and partnerships that develop sustainable connectivity.

This comes after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week said government will attend the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan and will try to create a single definition of “Afghanistan’s peace” for regional and world countries attending the summit.

Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Deputy Foreign Minister for Management and Resources, said they hoped to bring together foreign powers and regional stakeholders regarding peace in Afghanistan.

“Our definition of peace should be the same and depending on this, competition (among different nations) should move in one direction so we can stop the lack of coordination either on a regional level or inside Afghanistan,” said Andisha.

Sources meanwhile said that on the second day of the Geneva Conference, six countries involved in the Afghan peace process will meet behind closed doors to discuss the issue.

The conference provides a platform for the Afghan government and international community to demonstrate progress and commitment, and maintain the momentum for presidential elections and opportunities for peace and security.

The conference also aims to emphasize the importance and the implementation of mutual commitments made by the Afghan government and the international community towards reform and development and in measuring results against the $15.2 billion committed by the international community for Afghanistan in 2016.

In August, the World Bank said that the Geneva conference on Afghanistan in November will be important for the country so as to ensure continued support by the international community towards Afghanistan in years to come.

Speaking to TOLOnews, World Bank country director for Afghanistan Shubham Chaudhuri said at the time that at the conference, donors will assess the performance of the National Unity Government and its programs in order to boost Afghanistan’s economic situation in the future and to improve good governance.

Earlier Tadamichi Yamamoto, the United Nations’ Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan called on the national unity government to take solid steps towards fighting corruption, ensure holding transparent elections and finalizing the investment law in the country before the conference.

According to UNAMA, the conference will also be an opportunity to emphasize the importance of the development and reform agenda and the need to advance it as a constructive contribution to peace and security.

The Geneva Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan will be held between two pledging conferences: the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan (2016) and the next pledging conference expected to be held in 2020.

20Nov18

EU Says Geneva Conference is An ‘Important Opportunity’

[Source: Tolo News, Kabul, 20Nov18]

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