I have confidence that today’s meeting will bring Afghanistan significantly closer to attaining peace and stability. For we in the international community are here to support the efforts of the Government and people of Afghanistan at rebuilding their country, strengthening the foundations of sustainable peace and constitutional democracy, and assuming their rightful place in the community of nations. 

Like all other friends of Afghanistan, Indonesia has been following very closely events and developments in the country. 

Most of all, like the rest of the international community, Indonesia has been driven to contribute, in a manner consistent with the principles of its foreign policy, to the commendable efforts of the government and people of Afghanistan to rebuild their country. Indeed, much has been achieved by Afghanistan in the past few years, and both the national authorities and the people at large are to be commended for their hard work in the extremely arduous circumstances. 

However, considering the magnitude of challenges and the current levels of state capacity, Afghanistan cannot and should not be alone in responding to its challenges. The international community has a major stake in assuring that the challenges are met with persistence and vigour. 

We are only too aware however of the persistent and daunting multifaceted challenges confronting the country. 

Not least in the security realm. 

The curbing of the violent insurgency requires a vigilant and effective response. But it must also be a carefully calibrated one, and must not create unwanted consequences for the innocent civilians. We stress the crucial imperative of the protection of civilians in Afghanistan.  We wish also like to stress the importance of measures to protect UN staff and humanitarian workers from insurgent attacks.

Distinguished Co-Chairmen,

As it has been alluded to by several speakers, apart from curbing and ultimately resolving the insurgency, the security for Afghanistan also must entail food security, provision of sustainable livelihoods, infrastructure, reconstruction and rehabilitation, justice, economic development and good governance; for security approach alone cannot achieve peace and stability. 

Thus, signs of economic development in the country must not only be welcomed, but also consolidated and built upon. This will entail massive investments in agriculture, education, health, and infrastructures. 

It will require capacity building.

The benefits from these investments must reach deep into the grassroots of Afghan society. At this juncture, it is particularly important for all to listen to the view of Afghanistan of its needs and priorities. 

A vigorous implementation of the ANDS (Afghanistan National Development Strategy) with focus on the three areas identified by the  government – agriculture development, skills training, and infrastructure and economic development, will be very important.

That is precisely why Indonesia has made it a point to continuously provide capacity building programs for Afghan officials in the field of education, health, agriculture and others since 2003. 

To mention a few, we have conducted training programs on poverty reduction; agriculture and rural development; micro enterprise; micro finance and marketing of rural products; business incubator to develop small and medium enterprises; mother and child health services; agribusiness technology; renewable energy, etc.

We are ready to accept more Afghan citizens into the capacity building courses of our program for Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC) starting this year, and we are ready to provide training programs specially designed for Afghan citizens starting 2011.

[We also fully support a strengthened relationship between UNAMA and the Government, and in this context, welcome the proposal of a joint Afghan-UN dedicated civilian structure to enhance the coordination of the civilian effort. 

We welcome the launch of the UNDAF (UN Development Assistance Framework), and the efforts to institute the “One UN” model. The role of UNAMA in aligning the development assistance with national priorities, and enhancing aid effectiveness will be vital. We encourage other international partners to also align and coordinate their assistance more effectively with the government.]

Distinguished Co-Chairmen,

Conditions conducive for economic development require the promotion of reconciliation. 

The reconciliation process should reach out to and involve all Afghans to rebuild the country in the spirit of moderation and based on Afghan national values and norms.   

Indonesia is of the view that a process of national reconciliation among the Afghans is imperative.

It is critical that the regional and international community fully support the Afghan-led efforts to reconcile with, and reintegrate all Afghans into the mainstream of Afghan society. Everyone must ensure that the Afghan Government and the Afghan people themselves must mold the political and socio-economic landscape. Only then we can foster and strengthen true national ownership without which no national or international initiative can be fruitful.

For its part, Indonesia is ready to support and contribute to fostering peace, national reconciliation, and rehabilitation processes.  

While we are fully aware of the complexity of the situation in Afghanistan, we have considerable experience in solving conflicts. We offer the lessons and insights gained from that experience as a way of helping achieve national unity in Afghanistan.

Co-Chairmen,

We are convinced that the attainment of national peace and stability in Afghanistan is crucial to regional as well as global peace and stability. 

Regional cooperation and support continues to be fundamentally critical to the efforts by Afghanistan. The strengthening of Afghanistan’s engagement in regional dynamics, and its capacity to address trans-national problems is very important. Bilateral partnerships between Afghanistan and its neighboring states for addressing security challenges, and finding mutually acceptable solutions to the humanitarian problems are of paramount importance.

Indonesia welcomes the various recent initiatives by the Government of Afghanistan and its neighboring and regional partners to foster mutual trust and cooperation, and to promote economic development opportunities.

The international community should support the promotion of a more systematic and coordinated engagement among all regional stakeholders. The international partners and the UN system could help identify more and tangible ways to promote regional collaboration also in trade, private sector activity, culture and sports.

Indonesia reaffirms its full support to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and national unity of Afghanistan. The endeavors of its people and government in making Afghanistan a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous country deserves our collective support.

I thank you, Co-Chairmen.