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New Zealand congratulates the people of Afghanistan on the completion of the Bonn Agreement. The inauguration of a fully elected National Assembly in December last year marked a major achievement in Afghanistan’s path towards stable democracy.
New Zealand was pleased to participate in the London Conference and the launch of the Afghanistan Compact in February this year. The Conference provided an important opportunity for the international community to affirm its commitment to Afghanistan for at least the next five years. Looking ahead it will be important to ensure that these commitments provide the appropriate combination of security and development assistance to the Afghani people.
In response to United Nations Security Council resolutions (in 2001), New Zealand was one of the first countries to send military forces to Afghanistan as part of the international campaign against terrorism and is one of the largest per-capita contributors. The New Zealand contribution represented an important part of our commitment in support of international efforts for global security.
Over the last four years, hundreds of our defence force personnel have served in Afghanistan at a cost of around $130 million. We believe that capable and effective Afghan Army and Police forces are key to ensuring Afghanistan's long term stability. To this end New Zealand contributes to Army and Police training initiatives and in developing facilities in Bamyan province for effective policing.
In this context New Zealand would like to applaud the contribution that the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan and member states have made in assisting the restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan. The job is not yet complete, and New Zealand looks forward with anticipation to resolutions to extend the UNAMA mandate later this month. It is important that the UNAMA mandate complement the Afghanistan Compact agreed upon at the London Conference.
New Zealand is a small country, but we remain committed to supporting Afghanistan in its progress toward political and economic stability. New Zealand has increased its development assistance by NZ$15 million over the next three years. The New Zealand contribution is targeted at projects or programmes carried out by NGOs and UN agencies with a focus on sustainable rural livelihoods, governance, human rights and maternal and child health.
New Zealand continues to support the work of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission. Human rights, including the rights of women, remains a principal area of concern for New Zealand. In this regard we commend the increased level of participation by women in the September election as a significant step forward and encourage further initiatives to consolidate their participation in Afghanistan’s political life.
Let me close by reiterating our commendations for the distance that Afghanistan as a nation has travelled in such a short time. But let us not be complacent. Significant challenges still remain, and the role of the international community in supporting the efforts of the Afghan government and people to overcome these challenges remains crucial.
Alongside others here today, New Zealand reaffirms its commitment to supporting the development and security needs of Afghanistan, and to working with the Afghan people to create a safe, secure and more prosperous country.
