YouSaid · the spoken record

Arnault

lines on the record: 262
first: 2004-05-27
most recent: 2018-10-10
sittings or episodes: 15
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“The current heads of the Taliban and those who support them seem to have made the calculation that, since the same causes lead to the same effects, insecurity and its impact on reconstruction will, regardless of the progress made in the political arena, be sufficient to keep the country in a situation of instability where all options remain open. I would add that the international response to thwart that policy of destabilization cannot be limited to combat operations on the ground. We must resolutely attack the financing for fundamentalist elements, the safe havens where they train and the networks that support them, which have obviously decided to invest considerable resources to block the efforts made by Afghan authorities and the international community in the course of the past three years to stabilize the situation.”
2005-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5215 (2005) · source
“Today we need another special effort by those two Governments and by the international forces. Judging by the level of violence in the most recent incidents, the new effort must be even more intensive than the one made last year. Without wishing to be alarmist, I would like to draw the Council's attention to the consequences of this climate of violence for the political transition in Afghanistan, which is to be completed with September's parliamentary elections. The legitimacy of the institutions elected will not be called into question. Their political grounding is demonstrated by the unprecedentedly high level of popular participation in the electoral process. However, their authority will be short-lived if the problem of insecurity is not resolved. From 1992 to 1994, insecurity made things easy for the Taliban.”
2005-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5215 (2005) · source
“They have more money, they have more effective weaponry, they have more powerful means of disseminating radio propaganda, and they are most definitely more aggressive vis-a-vis civilians and demonstrate greater cruelty and indiscriminate violence. That violence is nothing new, even though its resurgence this year is a blow to the hopes that emerged after the presidential election. We experienced a similar increase in violence at the same time last year. The Governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan and the international forces responded effectively to last year's extremist violence - so effectively, in fact, that on 9 October millions of Afghans were able to vote in relative safety, thereby making the presidential election one of the most memorable moments in Afghanistan's recent history.”
2005-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5215 (2005) · source
“An electoral employee was killed on 2 June in Uruzgan, and there was an attack against an electoral convoy three days ago, leaving one dead and one wounded. Most of those who are standing for office in Zabul have taken refuge in the provincial capital and some have even gone to the neighbouring province of Kandahar. Of course, the violence is not only to be blamed on attacks by extremist elements. Drugs, local rivalry, corruption and ordinary criminal acts are problems that must be tackled by strengthening the police and the justice system and by improving local administration, which itself is often a factor in the instability. But the current offensive by extremist groups, including the Taliban, is decisive in the current escalation of violence.”
2005-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5215 (2005) · source
“It also jeopardizes efforts at rebuilding in the most seriously affected regions. After planning an increase in their presence in the southern and eastern provinces, United Nations agencies, like many other international and national bodies, have been once again obliged to keep a very low profile; this of course has an impact on the quantity and quality of rebuilding projects in these regions. For its part, the Chemonics company suspended economic projects on 1 June, and a Japanese road-building company operating in Kandahar withdrew its staff two months ago, thereby de facto stopping work. Moreover, worsening insecurity has an impact on preparations for the electoral process that should not be underestimated.”
2005-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5215 (2005) · source
“Moreover, five deminers employed by the United Nations were killed in Farah province; a moderate religious leader was decapitated in his madrasa in Paktika province; and, following a sham trial, at least four Afghan police officers were executed by the Taliban in Kandahar province. The situation is particularly disturbing in provinces in the southern part of the country, but it is also extremely serious in provinces on the border with Pakistan. In Paktika, members of traditional councils - sharas - a religious leader and a teacher were assassinated by extremist elements. Further north, in Kunar and Nuristan provinces and in several districts of Nangrahar, insecurity has also become worse. The violence causes unpardonable suffering in a country that is emerging from some 30 years of ongoing conflict.”
2005-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5215 (2005) · source
“In March, I said that despite some improvement in security since the presidential election, complacency would not be appropriate, particularly for the United Nations, whose operations had been attacked several times. That warning has become increasingly urgent over the last three months, because the country is facing an increase in both the number and the gravity of incidents in several provinces in the country. By way of example, I can mention that in Kandahar a moderate religious leader was murdered; this was followed by a massacre in the mosque where his funeral was being held, leaving more that 40 dead and dozens wounded. I could also mention the murder of ll Afghan employees of the Chemonics company and relatives of those employees in Zabul and Helmand provinces.”
2005-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5215 (2005) · source
“I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for giving me this opportunity to brief the Council on the situation in Afghanistan. I would like to thank the Council even more warmly for its decision in March to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) (resolution 1589 (2005)). That news was very positively received in Afghanistan, which I believe was partly an indication of the positive view that Afghans have of the United Nations, but also an indication of Afghan public opinion's clear understanding of the need for an ongoing international presence if lasting normalcy in the country is to be achieved. I should like to summarize the main developments since my last briefing to the Council in March (see S/PV.5145). Unfortunately, I have to begin by describing negative developments on the security front.”
2005-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5215 (2005) · source
“We plan, therefore, to hold intensive consultations with the Afghan Government, the Security Council and the international community at large in the weeks to come, and hope to be able to report to the Council before too long with proposals that will encapsulate the best options for effective United Nations support to the further consolidation of peace in Afghanistan.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“For our part, we are very keen to make sure that future international cooperation should not only take careful account of the lessons learned from the past three years of State-building in Afghanistan, but also benefit from the large pool of accumulated international experience - sometimes good, sometimes less good - with regard to peacebuilding in post-conflict countries. Our own deadlines for the formulation of UNAMA's budget for next year make it necessary that the issue of UNAMA'S role in 2006 and beyond be resolved by this summer.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“It is clear, however, that, as mentioned in the Secretary-General's report, that discussion cannot be separated from the broader issue of the way in which the international community and the Afghan Government will organize their cooperation in years to come, taking into account, on the one hand, the anticipated successful completion of the political transition and, on the other, the obvious need for a continued strong compact between Afghanistan and the international community if the gains of the past three years are to be sustained. The features of that compact will certainly come into sharper focus as the Government of Afghanistan and the aid community discuss their aid programmes for the coming years. In that respect, the Afghan Development Forum from 4 to 6 April in Kabul will be an opportunity to comment on those issues.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“The knowledge that the authority of the Security Council was behind the work of the Mission has been a source of motivation and encouragement for all of us. I can assure the Council that the staff of UNAMA will continue to do everything in their power to fulfil faithfully the mandate that it has chosen to entrust to them. Before I conclude, let me say a few words about an issue which the Security Council has retained on our agenda since last year: the mandate of UNAMA once the electoral process is completed. As we prepared this year's budget, we began to discuss internally a variety of options, ranging from maintaining UNAMA in its current structure to returning to the regular operation of a United Nations country team.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“A summary description of the structure, objective, expected accomplishments and indicators of achievement of the Mission for 2005 is also contained in the Secretary- General's report of 23 November 2004 on estimates in respect of special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives authorized by the General Assembly and the Security Council. I hope that, on this basis, the Council will concur with the recommendation of the Secretary-General to extend the mandate of the Mission with its current structure. For my part, I would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the Council for the confidence that it has placed in the Mission during the past 12 months. This has been a very intense, challenging and often difficult period, when sensitive and controversial matters were decided.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“Mujaddedi, I hope that those misgivings will be allayed, and UNAMA field offices stand ready to assist if need be. The agenda of the next nine months is a heavy one. It will place demands on all the human and material resources of the United Nations in Afghanistan, including those of UNAMA. The Secretary-General's reports submitted to the Security Council this year have outlined the contributions of UNAMA and the United Nations family to the Bonn process in the political, institutional, humanitarian, human rights, economic and social areas.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“It does not offer, however, unconditional amnesty and does not apply to the worst offenders among Taliban commanders and other senior leaders from extremist groups, whose capture and prosecution will remain a priority for international forces and domestic security agencies. For individuals whose status deserves special measures, reintegration will take place under close monitoring by security agencies. The design of the programme did raise some misgivings in the past, including that it was tantamount to selective national reconciliation or that it would provide a cover for the resuscitation of the Taliban as a political force. With the current structure of the national reconciliation programme and with the oversight of the national commission headed by Mr.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“It is hoped that a new initiative, entitled "Consolidation of Peace" and aimed at allowing a number of rank and file Taliban and other fighters from extremist organizations to disarm and resettle in their communities, can make a contribution to the reduction of violence this year. Mr. Mujaddedi - former President and Chairman of the Constitutional Loya Jirga - has just been appointed to head a national commission to oversee the programme. It provides for low- and mid-level fighters to enter a reconciliation process under the responsibility of the provincial governors and community leaders.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“With regard to security, the two roadside bombs that killed six and injured 31 last Wednesday in Kandahar were a reminder that, while the security situation overall has improved since the presidential election last October, complacency is not in order, particularly for the United Nations, since the two attacks were directed at convoys of the United Nations Office for Project Services and the World Food Programme. Protecting the life of United Nations staff will remain a priority for us, with the benefit of the strengthened security arrangements that have been put in place since last year.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“New contributions have so far been received from the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States for a total amount of $24.38 million, which means that about $110 million are still required, and I should be grateful for the Security Council's support in urging donors to respond generously and in a timely manner. As can be gathered from what I have said, the preparation of the parliamentary election, like the preparation of the presidential election before it, offers an opportunity not only to complete the political transition provided under the Bonn agreement, but also to drive progress in several other key areas of concern, such as security, the rebuilding of Afghan institutions, disarmament and the observance of human rights. We are keen to take maximum advantage of that opportunity.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“Last but not least, a September time frame will afford more time to prepare for the establishment of the future National Assembly. With France in the lead, and with support from the United Nations Development Programme, work has already begun to train over 100 staff members with expertise in different aspects of the legislative process and administrative support for Parliament. A conference is scheduled to take place next week in Paris to raise further funding for that important project. On the issue of funding, I must take this opportunity to update the donor community on the financial requirements for the holding of the parliamentary elections, which are not insignificant. The total budget needed is $148.67 million. Savings from last year's registration and elections amount to $16 million.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“An election in September will also allow for more in-depth civic education of the public, of the candidates and of the parties alike, which, in turn, will no doubt enhance the magnitude and the quality of participation. It will also make it possible to put more and better trained army and police units at the disposal of the electoral process. It will give more time to complete the process of demiIitarization that has gained, as members know, much momentum in recent months. UNAMA and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission will soon resume their joint reporting on the exercise of political rights during the political process, which last year proved to be a useful tool for ascertaining the political environment of the electoral process and for taking corrective action when necessary.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“Similarly, the anticipated very large number of candidates compelled the electoral authorities to allow for a considerable period of time for the design, production and distribution of ballot papers. In addition, I must acknowledge that the holding of the elections four months later than initially anticipated is not without several advantages. First, it means that the electoral campaign and the election itself will take place well after the completion of this year's poppy eradication campaign. A thorough counter-narcotics exercise in the most affected provinces will, hopefully, diminish the impact of drug money on the electoral process and, certainly, deconflicting eradication and the electoral campaign will have a positive influence on the security environment for the election.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“As I mentioned in my last briefing to the Council, on 10 January, we would have liked to have been able to uphold last July's decision by the Joint Electoral Management Body to hold elections this spring. However, the choice of the electoral system made last month ruled out that option entirely, making mid-September, from an operational viewpoint, the earliest possible date. Indeed, under the circumstances, the timelines do not provide any breathing space. It is anticipated that several thousand candidates will participate in the elections for the 249 positions in the lower house and for the provincial councils. That will, in particular, make the vetting of those candidates in order to check their eligibility under the electoral law a very complex and lengthy exercise.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“Mr. Arnault: I am grateful for this new opportunity to brief the Council on the occasion of its consideration of the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The Council has before it the report of the Secretary-General (8/2005/183), which describes in some detail the recent developments in Afghanistan. Since the report was drafted, few new developments have taken place, with the notable exception of the announcement, last Sunday, by the electoral authorities of the date of the parliamentary and province-level elections, namely, 18 September 2005. That was not initially our preferred time frame.”
2005-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5145 (2005) · source
“But that is no reason for complacency on the part of the international community - quite the contrary - because such progress is predicated upon continued high levels of international assistance - military, economic and political - and because the narco- economy now constitutes a distinct challenge to State- building in Afghanistan, and bringing it under control will require additional efforts by the Afghans, but also by the international community. Let me conclude, therefore, by calling upon the Security Council to continue, throughout 2005, to provide vigorous leadership to the international community in support of the peace process in Afghanistan.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“The repeated failure of extremists to derail the electoral process, combined with the better performance of security forces, point today to the possibility that the current improvement in the overall security situation will be sustained. Further DDR will create a better environment not only for the upcoming elections, but also for the expansion of civilian administration, reconstruction and the restoration of the rule of law. Such an advance towards the goal of an effective Afghan State is, in our view, a very real prospect.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“In the case of Afghanistan, it has been the international consensus since the Bonn Agreement that the principal answer to the challenges of terrorism, factionalism and the narcotics industry lies in the building of a strong, effective, balanced and representative Government that is able to carry out the will of the overwhelming majority of Afghans to live in peace under the law, protected from violent extremism and from those political and ethnic divisions that have fuelled the conflicts of the past two decades. Last year's presidential election showed the determination with which the Afghans embrace that vision.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“While this DDR programme is progressing well, a large number of miscellaneous irregular forces were not included in the programme and continue to exist throughout the country. Some - although not all - of those forces are among the main sources of insecurity and human rights abuses in certain parts of the country, and their activities are frequently linked to drug cultivation and the drug trade. In order to create a secure environment for parliamentary elections, the new Government therefore must, as a matter of priority and with the support of the international community, tackle the problem of irregular militias. As the Council is well aware, the consolidation of peace can and usually will mean very different things in different countries.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“In particular, practically all military divisions under the control of General Dostum have now begun the DDR process. Broad disarmament will, hopefully, contribute to stabilizing a region that has been particularly prone to inter-factional conflict over the past three years. Let me take the opportunity to flag the importance of providing the DDR programme with adequate resources. Unless fresh funds to cover the cost of running a complex disarmament programme are provided to ANBP, the programme will suffer delays, and the momentum built since the presidential election could be lost. Let me add one important point with regard to DDR. Since the inception of the programme in 2003, DDR has focused so far only on militia forces formally affiliated with the Ministry of Defence.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“Those stocks also proved to be much larger and often more dangerous than expected and pose considerable challenges in terms of disposal or storage for the purpose of re-utilization by the Afghan National Army. The Ministry of Defence, with the support of the international community under Canada's lead, has embarked on the complex task of managing the ammunition that has been discovered. An ammunition survey has begun in Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat, the two locations considered to have the most substantial stocks. It is important to note that DDR has been particularly successful in northern Afghanistan. The requirement under the new political party law that units with links to political organizations must comply with DDR before a political organization can be registered has resulted in considerable disarmament in that area.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“Improved access to large stocks of heavy weapons and ammunition in areas where cantonment operations had been previously hampered - particularly in Herat, Mazar and the north-west - has accelerated progress of this important aspect of DDR. Throughout Afghanistan, Afghanistan's New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) - the United Nations DDR programme - has cantoned and disabled close to 8,000 heavy weapons thus far. That figure vastly exceeds the surveyed total of operational and repairable heavy weapons in the country, originally estimated at only approximately 4,200. Cantonment of heavy weapons is now complete in the east, south-east, south, north-west and central highlands. Access has also been gained to large stocks of ammunition in areas previously off-limits to disarmament activities.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“To date, 33,000 militiamen have been disarmed, and the heavy weapons cantonment programme is almost complete. More than 63,000 names have been removed from the payroll, which, to a large extent, included ghost units rather than real militia forces. Given the rate of actual disarmament compared to the official strength of militia forces, we can now assume that, of the residual 40,000 names on the original list, only 20,000 to 30,000 really exist and have yet to be disarmed. If the DDR momentum is sustained, and if the remaining obstacles are removed, we can therefore reasonably expect the disarmament and demobilization of the Afghan militia forces to be completed according to the schedule agreed at the Berlin Conference last year - that is, by June 2005 - with reintegration activities for those demobilized continuing until 2006.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“That concern applies particularly to local elections, where a web of political interests and armed groups could significantly distort the electoral process. The Security Council will recall that, in the most recent briefing to the Council on Afghanistan two months ago, we reported that 22,000 ex-combatants had been disarmed and that 75 per cent of the total number of heavy weapons in the country had been cantoned. I am pleased to inform the Council that, since then, significant progress has been made, particularly in the past few weeks, under the combined influence of the momentum of the presidential election and the good work done by the Ministry of Defence and the international community under the lead of the Government of Japan.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“In order to counterbalance the potentially negative impact of eradication initiatives, it is critical that alternative livelihood programmes be strengthened and made known to affected communities. It is also crucial that the Government develop further its ongoing counter-narcotics public information campaign and disseminate its messages through traditional and community-based channels. I mentioned earlier that disarmament and demobilization had been a key consideration in deciding on the date and modalities of the elections. Indeed, it has been and remains a constant concern of Afghans that elections should take place when a proper political environment has been created through disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR).”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“That is, of course, a very welcome development, even though the extent to which those initiatives will make a dent in poppy production can be determined only during the harvesting month, in April. At the same national conference in December, the Government officially launched the national narcotics eradication programme, which is due to focus on seven key provinces in a staggered fashion until July 2005. The national programme will include the provision of alternative livelihoods for poppy-growing farmers, the extension of drug law enforcement, the implementation of drug-control legislation, the establishment of effective institutions, and the introduction of programmes aimed at prevention and at treatment for addicts. Governor-led programmes will also be implemented in other provinces.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“We welcome the recent establishment of the new Ministry of Counter- Narcotics, and we welcome also the holding in December by President Karzai of a national conference on counter-narcotics, attended by governors, chiefs of provincial police departments, tribal elders from throughout the country, relevant ministries, and representatives of donor countries, United Nations agencies and international non-governmental organizations. President Karzai spoke resolutely about the need to eliminate the drug problem from Afghanistan, warning that Afghanistan could very well become a pariah State should counter-narcotics efforts fail. Since that event, significant numbers of farmers in the east and the south have been replacing poppy with wheat.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“Opium cultivation remains one of the largest sources of illegal income and serves to support criminal and factional agendas that aim to undermine the central Government. One of the most worrisome aspects of the narcotics industry is the extent to which the Afghan economy and, therefore, the population now depend on it. Valued in 2004 at $2.8 billion, the opium economy is now equivalent to about 60 per cent of Afghanistan's gross domestic product. It is estimated that in 2004, 356,000 families were involved in opium-poppy cultivation - an increase of 35 per cent from 2003. Poppy cultivation has also spread to 34 provinces and now accounts for 56 per cent of total cultivated land. The central Government has shown a commitment to tackling the problem.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“Its overall conclusions are that the security situation remains very diverse in different parts of the country; that adequate measures must be taken that will provide United Nations agencies and electoral operations accessibility to risk-prone regions; and that the strict observance of minimum operational security standards, which enabled the United Nations to carry out its mandate in 2004, should enable us to operate in the same manner once again in 2005. Let me turn now to developments in other areas that will have a bearing on the environment in which the elections will be taking place. The Council is well aware of the fact that the narcotics industry and the accompanying corruption are now clearly one of the biggest threats to the building of an effective, democratic Afghan State and to the country's long-term peace and stability.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“While the abduction of three United Nations electoral workers in October was brought to a successful conclusion - and I should take this opportunity to thank those Governments that had a very significant involvement in securing that release - and, while the overall security environment has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, the kidnapping and killing of a United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) subcontracted staff member on 15 December is a reminder of the possibility that the targeting of international personnel could occur again and perhaps become more routine once winter conditions recede and the movement of anti- Government forces becomes easier. This issue must be tackled in a comprehensive manner. The United Nations Country Team has addressed this problem through a comprehensive security assessment.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“The size of the reformed and trained Afghan National Police is also expected to increase from approximately 30,000 members currently to more than 37,000 by April and more than 45,000 by July. While the Afghan police and army will play a major role in the 2005 elections, as they did in the 2004 election, international forces will remain indispensable for providing security and for backing up national agencies. ISAF and the coalition have indicated their full support for the next election and have noted that their most urgent requirement is that an electoral time frame be in place as soon as possible in order to enable them to adjust their plans. Finally, we must have in mind the type of security challenges that the United Nations itself will be facing.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“The location and the number of polling sites - 25,000 - was based on registration figures and proposals from communities. There is therefore no reason to alter those basic parameters. Similarly, logistical arrangements for the deployment of personnel and material will, in the main, be replicated with the assistance of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the coalition. Turning to the issue of security, the deployment of the National Army and professional police will gain additional relevance for the parliamentary elections, for which close to 400 district elections will need to be secured. I am pleased to report that the Afghan National Army, currently at 28 battalions - a force of approximately 17,000 - is expected to increase to 32 battalions by April and to 39 battalions by July.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“If the Government should decide to hold out-of-country elections in Iran and Pakistan, an additional $30 million at least would need to be added to that estimate. UNDP is in the process of closing the books of the voter registration and the presidential election projects. Once that is completed, leftover funds will be allocated to the parliamentary elections. We will make appeals to the international community for the remainder of the funding needed as soon as the date of the elections has been decided, since, as I said, different time frames require different budgets. I should add that, from the operational standpoint, it is anticipated that the modalities for the 2005 elections will closely follow those of the 2004 elections.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“With regard to the management of electoral operations, we have streamlined international support in order to capitalize on the proven strengths of each international partner. UNDP will continue to oversee trust fund management and donor relations, in addition to contributing to support for electoral observation. The United Nations Office for Project Services, which has demonstrated its flexibility in administrative and logistical matters, will be the executing agency for all budget lines. That brings me to the very important matter of the funding required for the holding of the 2005 elections. Depending on the date they are held, it is estimated that between $120 million and $130 million will be needed to cover the three elections.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“More specifically, it suggested that for the time being, those councils could be given a local-level advisory role to the executive body. Further consultations must take place on that issue before legislation is passed. That complex preparatory work is pursued, as I said, with the April-May target in mind, and a final decision on the election date will have to be made by the new Independent Electoral Commission in the next few weeks. Political leaders and representatives of the international community agree that the gap between presidential and parliamentary elections should be kept to a minimum, but they have also noted that this should not be achieved at the expense of a well organized and transparent election with adequate time for technical and political requirements to be properly met.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“The Ministry of Interior, which is in the lead for that process, has indicated that good progress has been made, and it is hoped that decisions are imminent. One important piece of legislation that remains outstanding concerns the powers of the local councils that are to be elected together with the representatives to the lower house. The creation of elected bodies at the district and provincial levels is an innovation in the Afghan political system brought about by the new Constitution. Their functions relative to existing administrative structures must be defined well ahead of the elections. A mission of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on local governance, which visited Afghanistan last month, has recommended a gradualist approach to the empowerment of those bodies.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“We therefore expect that the recruitment and the training of those observers and monitors will play a major role in safeguarding the integrity of the upcoming electoral process. In order to meet the April-May target date, the Government and the electoral authorities have to make a number of decisions: on the participation of refugees and nomads; the demarcation of district boundaries; the population figures for each province; the preparation of voter lists; and the revision of the electoral law. The most urgent of those decisions concerns the assignment of population settlements to districts, a task which, under the electoral law, must be completed 120 days before election day. For elections to take place within the agreed time frame, district boundaries must therefore be finalized within the next couple of weeks at the very latest.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“In addition to the creation of the new Independent Electoral Commission, we expect that the parliamentary elections will see an enhanced role for Afghans throughout the process. That will be the case with the organization of the elections, where, overall, the Afghan personnel performed very well during the presidential election. And it will also be the case with domestic observation and political parties. Indeed, in a few months, local elections will take the electoral competition to many parts of the country to which international observers are unlikely to have easy access. Domestic observers and the action of party monitors will therefore bear much of the responsibility for ensuring that local elections are fair and credible. From that standpoint, the presidential election was a promising start.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“The centrepiece of those preparations is the establishment of the Independent Electoral Commission called for by the Constitution. Its appointment, which is a presidential prerogative, is an opportunity to implement some of the lessons learned from the presidential election, in particular the need for closer consultation with the large number of new political parties - approximately 50 - that have been registered since last year and which need to develop more confidence in the operation of the electoral authority. In the past few weeks, we have been working with the President's Office to elicit the views and recommendations of political parties and community leaders on that matter, and we can expect that the new Commission will be appointed in the very near future.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“Another related to the need to bring about further disarmament and a political environment conducive to free and transparent elections, in particular at the provincial and district levels, where the militarization inherited from decades of civil war was most likely to affect and distort the electoral process. Both we and the electoral commission felt that, given the complete absence of any electoral tradition or practice in Afghanistan, the relatively simpler presidential election would well serve all actors involved in the election as a rehearsal for the much more complex set of elections involved in the parliamentary process. In that respect, all observer organizations - international and domestic - have issued useful recommendations that are being taken into account in the ongoing preparations for the upcoming elections.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“This vote of confidence in the new Cabinet will no doubt increase the authority and the effectiveness of the Government as it tackles some very complex, urgent and difficult tasks on the national agenda, including the holding of local and parliamentary elections this year, expanded disarmament and demobilization and counter-narcotics endeavours. Let me turn to the first of those tasks. The Council may recall that, with its endorsement, the electoral commission decided last year to split the electoral process in two and indicated that the parliamentary elections would be held in the Afghan month of Saur 1383 - between 21 April and 21 May 2005. A variety of considerations were behind that decision. One concerned a number of key legal and administrative prerequisites that were not met on time.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source
“Three women are in the Cabinet, among them the only female presidential candidate, Mrs. Masuda J alal. Of course, the composition of the Cabinet will not escape criticism from one quarter or another. But the consultations that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has held with political parties, representatives of civil society and communities in various regions indicate that the majority of Afghans welcome the composition of the new Cabinet and see it as a sign of the increasingly national character of the Afghan Government. That is in contrast to the mitigated - and sometimes critical - reaction of public opinion after the 2002 Emergency Loya Jirga, which many saw as overly influenced by factional considerations and as a missed opportunity to establish a truly representative central government.”
2005-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5108 (2005) · source