YouSaid · the spoken record

Tanin

lines on the record: 865
first: 2007-01-31
most recent: 2021-10-15
sittings or episodes: 78
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 deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan is the product of the surge of terrorist activities carried out by Al-Qaida, the Taliban and other associated armed groups in the region. Terrorists have increased attacks in our territory, using barbaric acts and methods including car bombs, suicide attacks and improvised explosive devices directed at national and international forces. Such attacks deliberately target densely populated areas where children are the prime victims. The Taliban is using the most atrocious practices conceivable to conduct its subversive operations. Terrorists are recruiting, training and exploiting children as combatants and sending them to operate as suicide bombers.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936Resumption1 (2008) · source
“It will also lay a solid foundation for our next generation to live in peace and prosperity and enjoy its human rights. Our vision for ensuring the protection and well-being of our children is to develop an environment that provides security, guarantees economic and social opportunities and respects the rule of law. We have achieved considerable progress in improving the status of children since 2001. Nevertheless, today we are facing critical security challenges that jeopardize the gains made in the past seven years and undermine our collective efforts to improve the living conditions of our children and give them a promising and bright future. Terrorism continues to be a major threat and drastically affects the daily lives of our people, particularly our children.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The Government of Afghanistan is still making efforts to rebuild its country devastated by 30 years of war that dramatically affected the lives of our children, particularly girls. The major victims of the war in Afghanistan are our children. Years of conflict in our country have destroyed the basic necessities of life, such as schools, health care, adequate shelter, water and food, and disrupted family relationships. They have also created stigma and post-traumatic distress and generated a pessimistic outlook on the future. Afghanistan is strongly committed to reversing the impact of war on children and fulfilling its obligation to protect children. The improvement of the situation of Afghan children and the comprehensive protection of their rights is an essential precondition for the sustainable development of our State.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Allow me to begin by expressing my delegation's gratitude to the delegation of Viet Nam for convening today's meeting on children and armed conflict. This meeting provides an opportunity to renew our strong commitment to ensuring the protection and rights of children in armed conflict, as well as to review progress made in that regard. We would also like to express our appreciation to Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, for her visit to Afghanistan and her comprehensive statement. All children have the same needs and share the same dreams. They represent the future of our societies and mirror the State they live in.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Sustainable peace in Afghanistan cannot be achieved without the participation of half of its population, namely Afghan women. Afghanistan recognizes the importance of the positive contribution of women to conflict prevention, conflict resolution and the promotion of peace and security. As Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon justly stated this morning, the 08-3908] most effective way to combat violence against women is to make women messengers of peace instead of victims of violence. That reflects our vision for Afghan women.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916Resumption1 (2008) · source
“In order to be successful in our efforts to eliminate these practices, we request the international community to continue its assistance so that we may strengthen our national capacity in ensuring a secure environment, improving economic and social conditions and implementing human rights and the rule of law in Afghanistan. The protection of civilians, including women, is highlighted as an inherent part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force mission operating in Afghanistan. We would like to emphasize on the need to integrate specific strategies for the better protection of women from all forms of violence, including sexual violence. We also encourage peacekeeping forces to receive predeployment gender sensitivity training.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Various methods of violence against women are used by the Taliban and Al-Qaida to intimidate, terrorize and force Afghan women to retreat from public activities and limit their access to health care, education, justice and economic and social endeavours, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan. The terrorist campaign of the Taliban and Al-Qaida has particularly affected girls' school enrolment and attendance. Schools are burned, and female teachers and students are attacked and threatened. The legacy of the long conflict, including access to weapons, difficulty in stabilization efforts and rampant poverty, is reflected in some parts of the country in self-immolation, forced marriage, domestic and other forms of violence.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916Resumption1 (2008) · source
“In this regard, initial steps have been taken by the Ministry of the Interior to increase the recruitment of female law enforcement officers and to provide gender sensitivity training in the police academy. Police family response units are staffed by women who are trained to deal with domestic violence and to respond to female victims of crime. The escalation of violence and insecurity in some parts of the country as a result of the terrorist activities carried out by the Taliban and Al-Qaida hinders the implementation of the rule of law and consequently makes women vulnerable to all forms of violence.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Progress in the process that involves the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants and the disbanding of illegal armed groups has contributed to minimizing violence against civilians, particularly women and children. However, the successful completion of this process will help to create an environment where women will be empowered to exercise their rights. The Afghan Government recognizes that security sector reform is crucial to strengthening the rule of law, to ensuring the protection of women's rights, to improving law enforcement bodies and to ending the culture of impunity. But at the same time, we would like to underscore the need for women to participate in the security sector reform process.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Afghanistan has undertaken several initiatives in addressing violence against women, as embodied in its constitution, the Millennium Development Goals, the Afghanistan Compact, the Afghanistan National Development Strategy that was recently launched in Paris, and international treaties. The Afghan Ministry of Women's Affairs is leading our efforts in achieving this goal and chairs the ministerial task force created in 2005 to eliminate all forms of violence against women. We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all relevant organizations, including United Nations agencies, in particular the United Nations Development Fund for Women, as well as to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, for assisting us in advancing the status of Afghan women.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Our vision is a peaceful and progressive nation where women and men enjoy security, equal rights and opportunities in all spheres of life. The Government of Afghanistan has made considerable achievements in protecting women from violence and in ensuring a secure environment where their rights are protected and their participation in decision-making bodies and in the peacebuilding process is guaranteed. The fact that 28 per cent of the seats in the Afghan Assembly are held by women is testament to this claim. This places Afghanistan as the twentieth-ranked country in the world in terms of female representation in parliament.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916Resumption1 (2008) · source
“However, sexual violence was used by some individuals and groups as an instrument of war. Afghanistan recognizes that sexual and gender- based violence is a threat to international peace and security and condemns all sexual and gender-based violence committed against civilians in conflict- affected situations. We would also like to acknowledge that, in countries in armed conflict as well as in post- conflict countries, violence against women has multiple dimensions that extend beyond a sexual nature. It has been eight years since the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1325 (2000) and about seven years since the fall of the barbaric regime of the Taliban and the beginning of the peace process, democratization and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Under the Taliban regime, Afghanistan was a graveyard for human and women's rights, where barbaric atrocities against women constantly occurred. No one can forget the images of innocent Afghan women being slaughtered in Kabul's stadium and the images of the inhuman Taliban bludgeoning women in the street for so-called unvirtuous behaviour. Today the results of widespread violence during years of conflict are still affecting the private and public spheres of women's lives in Afghanistan. In several armed conflict situations, acts of sexual and gender-based violence have been used to humiliate and forcibly relocate civilian members of a community or ethnic group. In Afghanistan, sexual violence was not a predominant method employed by armed groups in conflict, due to the strong cultural bounds within our society.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916Resumption1 (2008) · source
“At the outset, I would like to thank the United States for having organized this open debate on a very important protection gap, that related to sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict and in post-conflict situations. In situations of armed conflict and periods of instability, armed groups often use violence against civilians, especially women, as a deliberate tactic of war. In Afghanistan, the devastating impacts of three decades of armed conflict have particularly affected the most vulnerable part of our population, namely women and children. During this period, the basic rights of Afghan women have been undermined, even denied, due to the vicious cycles of violence which allowed groups with power to act with impunity in the face of women's vulnerability.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916Resumption1 (2008) · source
“We are in a battle to win hearts and minds in Afghanistan. Terrorists are ruthless and irresponsible by nature: they intentionally exploit our sense of fairness. However, our humanity is not a weakness. In fact, it is the very foundation of our society. Hence it is crucial that we act upon what we have learned here today to secure the lives of civilians and engage local communities - it is they who are at the front lines of the struggle. After all, the diplomatic efforts here and the counter-terrorist operations on the ground have a common goal: to protect the peoples of our nations, without whom there would be nothing to fight for.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Although we have come a long way, much more needs to be done, both in Afghanistan and beyond. Unfortunately, where there is armed conflict, there will be casualties; that is a sad and painful truth. In order to enjoy the popular support of the people, any use of force by the Government requires an elaborate moral justification. Terrorists and insurgents take advantage of that necessity with acts of violence that erect a barrier of fear and mistrust between the people and their Government. Nonetheless, the most important question before us is how to minimize civilian casualties in armed conflict. The international community and the Government of Afghanistan have a common understanding that it is imperative to enhance coordination between national Governments and international organizations with a view to protecting civilians.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Furthermore, international and Afghan forces have recently implemented new methods, including the use of smaller bombs, and have revised the use of other weaponries. A new mechanism of coordination between the International Security Assistance Force and our security forces has been established in the eastern and southern zones, which allows us to carefully plan operations and avoid collateral damage. Thanks to these methods and mechanisms, my delegation is happy to report that the number of civilian casualties and air strikes during counter- terrorist operations has decreased considerably since 2007. However, the Government of Afghanistan is deeply concerned about any loss of civilian life and urges the international community to exercise utmost caution during combat operations.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Although it is very difficult to avoid collateral damage, an integral part of military planning is to avoid harming civilians. The number of civilian casualties is lower than often reported. Also, we are not certain about the accuracy of casualty estimates presented by international organizations, as they are mainly based on reports that in many cases latter proved to be exaggerated. In fact, we face an enemy without a uniform or identity badge, indistinguishable from local people. As a result, a dead Talib may be perceived as a civilian casualty if he is an Afghan Talib. Despite the complexity of the issue, the protection of civilians is of the highest priority for our Government. Our forces act with the utmost precautions during combat in civilian areas.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The enemies of Afghanistan intentionally seize opportunities to use civilians in combat in order to complicate the response of international and national security forces. The insurgents attack remote Villages populated by peaceful farmers and labourers. They take shelter in or around homes and buildings, using them to attack security forces, in an attempt to force combat in civilian areas. Local residents are inevitably caught in the middle. The Afghan Government and international forces spare no effort to avoid civilian casualties, while terrorists use civilians as human shields. The suicide attacks are the clear manifestation of deliberate killing of innocent people. In fact, they thrive on a casual disregard for the sanctity of human life and the enmity that widespread violence breeds.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The most basic human right is the right to live in security but, too often, terrorists deprive people in Afghanistan of this fundamental right. Indiscriminate and brutal terrorist attacks are carried out in Afghanistan, particularly in the southern part of the country, as terrorists use fear tactics to undermine people's trust in their Government and in the international community. Whether in the form of roadside bombings, suicide attacks or various other heartless killings, the acts of Violence committed against civilians by the Taliban and Al-Qaida are premeditated and calculated. They are designed to weaken the determination of the international community to support Afghanistan and the trust that the Government is trying to build with our citizens.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Let me begin by expressing my delegation's gratitude to you, Mr. President, for organizing today's open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Last week's debate on post-conflict stabilization (see S/PV.5895) was very productive, and we believe that today's topic is inextricably linked to stabilization and peacebuilding. The protection of civilians is a very important issue to Afghanistan as the Taliban and Al-Qaida continue their heinous acts to disrupt the efforts of the Government and international forces to establish a stable, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan. In our endeavour towards developing a democratic State, it is essential that all citizens feel that their human rights are secure and that everyone be treated with dignity and respect.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“In Afghanistan, the enemies of peace and stability will continue their attempts to disrupt the efforts of the Government and the people as well as those of our international partners, efforts that are undertaken to establish a stable, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan. We are confident, however, that those actions will not succeed in interfering with our long- term goal of building a new Afghanistan. In this fight, what we need is the continuing commitment of the international community, time and resources. I am confident that this debate will help the international community to join its efforts more than ever to deal with and address the challenges of post- conflict stabilization as well as to enhance the coordinating role of the United Nations.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“To achieve that, we need to build national capacity to deal successfully with challenges that arise during the post-conflict stabilization. As experience shows, effective State-building is like a spider web, in that it works best when the web is built by the spiders themselves. As we have learned from our experiences, the success of the international community and a national Government in the process of recovery from conflict is closely linked with the effective use of resources and aid. It is paramount that the aid be need-driven, not supply-driven. A coordinating strategy should reflect the principles of aid effectiveness and the successful delivery of aid aimed at improving the situation of the country and the people.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The key elements for success of the United Nations in its role entail the full cooperation of all parties in being coordinated, as well as the mandate, resources and adequate staff on the ground. That was something Mr. Brahimi also emphasized today. The role of the United Nations in Afghanistan, similar to that in other post-conflict situations, is to facilitate the stabilization efforts, including supporting institution-building and acting as a bridge between the international community and the Government and the people. While State-building is a collective effort in post- conflict countries, national ownership of the process is the core principle. Given the enabling role of the international community, it is essential to invest more in establishing capable and functioning national institutions.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The appointment of Mr. Kai Eide, the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General, was an important and welcome step. Today, we have a broad consensus that the United Nations should focus on its role as lead coordinator, essential for re-energizing efforts to bring about stabilization. The success of the United Nations in delivering its mandate depends on uniting the efforts of all international actors, including the donor community, NATO, the European Union, countries of the region, international financial institutions and non-governmental organizations, in support of the Government and the people of Afghanistan in their struggle for peace, stability and progress.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Those challenges are interlinked, and they are an integral part of the same threat. In dealing with them, we realize that effective stabilization efforts in post-conflict situations require a comprehensive and multifaceted strategy, encompassing the essential components of social and economic development, good governance, human rights and the rule of law, and national reconciliation. Such an approach demands a proactive and sustained engagement of the international community in the process. From the beginning of the Bonn process in Afghanistan, the United Nations has played a central role in bringing the international community together in order to help Afghanistan's transition from conflict to peace, stability and democracy. During the last year, a new momentum was built to reinvigorate the role of the United Nations in Afghanistan.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Thanks to the support of our international partners, our security forces have become stronger and effective. Our national army has now reached the level of 76,000 soldiers and has assumed a greater role in the fight against terrorists seeking to destabilize Afghanistan and the region. In February 2006, five years after the Bonn Agreement, the Afghan Government and the international community came together in London to design a new roadmap in order to solidify our achievements and further empower Afghanistan to attain sustainable peace and development. Despite all these remarkable gains, we still face challenges that pose a threat to our long-term stability. There are at least four major challenges to peace and stability in Afghanistan - terrorism, narcotics, weakness of governance, and poverty.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“In a country where agriculture was the chief engine of the economy, illicit drugs became the main source of income. The land began to fuel the war rather than to feed the people. Since the Bonn Agreement we have come a long way, in cooperation with the international community, in overcoming the enormous challenges of building the foundation of a new political system aimed at promoting long-term stability. We have adopted a new constitution, and, in 2004 and 2005, we held democratic presidential and parliamentary elections, which were overwhelmingly supported by all the people of Afghanistan. To ensure security, recovery and development, we embarked on security sector reform, which serves as the lynchpin of the entire State-building process in the country.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“In fact, about seven years ago, Afghanistan was a geographical location without a State, a stage for factional wars imposed by invaders and outsiders, a safe haven for international terrorism and extremism, a land where the people lived in constant fear of bandits and thugs, and a country whose citizens were deprived of all their rights. In addition, more than half of its population, being female, could not go to school, work or even obtain simple medical care. The collapse of the State led to nation-wide insecurity. Millions left the country or became internally displaced, and the social trust had been eroded. People reverted to traditional forms of mutual support, such as tribal and ethnic alliances, which led to increasing societal fragmentation.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“I am certain that the outcome of this debate will greatly benefit nations going through post-conflict stabilization and the peacebuilding process, as well as the United Nations. Emerging from more than two decades of armed conflict, Afghanistan is well aware of the challenges associated with post-conflict stabilization efforts. Almost seven years ago, following the defeat of the Taliban in December 2001, the Bonn Agreement laid out the path to political transition in Afghanistan. It was clear from the outset that the stabilization of Afghanistan in the post-Taliban period would not be an easy task nor a smooth transition. As a result of long wars and foreign occupations, Afghanistan had become a failed State and a broken society. The reality of the situation was painted very tellingly today by Mr. Brahimi.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“First of all, let me avail myself of this opportunity to join the previous speakers in expressing our deepest condolences to the victims of the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. Allow me also to express my delegation's appreciation to the presidency of the United Kingdom for organizing today's important and timely open debate of the Security Council to consider the challenges facing the international community in stabilizing countries recovering from conflict and delivering sustainable peace. We are also thankful for the concept paper (S/2008/29l, annex), which is certainly a comprehensive document that articulates the realities of dealing with situations in countries emerging from conflict.”
2008-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5895Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Such coordination is necessary to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of international engagement in and assistance to Afghanistan. Before concluding, I would like to express my appreciation to the United Nations and the international community for their support towards the achievement of lasting peace, security and stability in Afghanistan. Together, we have come a long way, but our mission has yet to be accomplished. With greater coordination and closer cooperation, we will successfully conclude the journey which we jointly embarked upon more than six years ago.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“We look forward to the adoption in the coming days of a resolution that will extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. The extension of the mandate will reflect the continuing commitment of the United Nations and the international community to Afghanistan. We are hopeful that it will also mark the beginning of a strengthened, better structured and more effective United Nations role in Afghanistan. The need for greater coordination of the international community's reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan is ever more evident. In this regard, we underscore the importance of an enhanced coordinating role for the United Nations in consolidating the international community's support and assistance to Afghanistan into a cross- alliance effort.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“The severe weather has also devastated our livestock, which is the main source of livelihood for vulnerable families in remote parts of Afghanistan. While expressing gratitude to the humanitarian community for providing emergency aid in the worst-affected provinces, we appeal for urgent delivery of additional humanitarian assistance. In this connection, we welcome UNAMA's continued coordinating role in ensuring the timely and effective delivery of humanitarian assistance, as well as its readiness to assist the Government of Afghanistan to create conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of our fellow Afghans from abroad. The role of the United Nations remains vital for the implementation of the Afghanistan Compact.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“To consolidate and advance our gains, we will finalize the Afghan National Development Strategy in the weeks to come. We welcome the upcoming Paris conference, to take place in June 2008, at which we will launch the Strategy, review the implementation of the Afghanistan Compact and discuss the way forward with our international partners. We are working closely with the Government of France in preparation for the Conference. The people of Afghanistan continue to live under difficult humanitarian conditions. The situation has been exacerbated with the onset of the harshest winter conditions in more than 30 years, which have caused more than 900 fatalities, with hundreds of people suffering from severe frostbite.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“Progress in the education sector has enabled nearly 6 million children to gain access to school. Our legal economy has grown by an average of 12 per cent over the past four years, and our per capita gross domestic product has approximately doubled. Five million Afghans have returned home in the hope of a promising future. More than 1,471 kilometres of roads have been built and 737 kilometres remain under construction. In accordance with our National Action Plan for Women, Afghan women continue to assume a greater role in the social, political and economic life of the country. Our citizens enjoy unprecedented rights. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the challenges in various sectors and remain committed to addressing them resolutely.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“We have prioritized counter-narcotics as a key pillar of our policy advisory group, which aims to improve security in the six provinces with the highest levels of Violence. In October of last year we designated 50,000 hectares as the national eradication target for 2008. In addition, to address the mutually reinforcing link between terrorism and narcotics, we will provide force protection for eradication operations. Among other measures taken for a more effective counter-narcotics effort, our National Assembly confirmed a candidate for the post of Minister of Counter-Narcotics just two weeks ago. Despite the challenges we face, Afghanistan is continuing its reconstruction and its social and economic development. Today, more than 85 per cent of the population is covered by a basic package of health services.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“Nevertheless, the magnitude of the challenges of fighting corruption and strengthening the rule of law requires time and resources. We welcome the new emphasis of UNAMA in support of our efforts to strengthen governance and the rule of law. As the report of the Secretary-General asserts, our counter-narcotics efforts have gained momentum. Following the increase in cultivation and production of opium in 2007, we have taken a series of additional measures to expedite the implementation of our National Drug Control Strategy. In the recent meeting of the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board in Tokyo, we reached a consensus with our international partners on areas in which immediate action should be taken.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“As indicated in the report of the Secretary-General, the Independent Directorate for Local Governance has strengthened the links between the provincial administrations and the central Government. It has also led to progress in a variety of areas at the provincial and district levels, including the sustainable delivery of basic services to local communities, disbandment of illegal armed groups, police reform and counter-narcotics. The Government of Afghanistan has taken numerous measures to combat corruption. Those include the creation of an inter-institutional commission, headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, to address corruption in the public sector; the development of a draft national anti- corruption strategy; and the signing of the United Nations Convention against Corruption in August 2007.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“We reiterate our call to individuals with past grievances to reject violence, abide by the Constitution and join their fellow compatriots in rebuilding their country. In that connection, we welcome the readiness of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to extend its good offices to support our reconciliation efforts. The interconnected challenges facing Afghanistan require mutually reinforcing efforts to consolidate gains in the areas of security, governance, rule of law, human rights, development and counter-narcotics. Strengthening governance and combating corruption and narcotics remain among our top priorities. We have initiated new measures to improve governance at the provincial and local levels.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“New violent fronts have been opened. Those attacks, which have been carried out by means of hit and run tactics, should not be seen as a sign of the enemy's strength, but rather of their frustration resulting from their inability to engage in direct battles. The Government of Afghanistan will spare no effort to improve the security of its people. In that regard, we continue to maintain a comprehensive strategy that has both military and political dimensions. While the military campaign remains the centrepiece of our efforts to defeat terrorists and consolidate security, we are according greater attention to political outreach and furthering the national reconciliation process.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“The Afghan National Army has reached 58,000 troops and has assumed a greater role in the fight against terrorists seeking to destabilize Afghanistan and the region. With the support of our international partners, we have dismantled more than 120 terrorist bases of operation and apprehended 1,000 terrorists, including foreigners. Among the captured are elite commanders of the Taliban, Al-Qaida rank and file and those responsible for recent terrorist attacks. In spite of our achievements, significant challenges remain. Providing security for our people is not only our main objective, but also our primary challenge. Terrorists have increased their attacks against civilians, schools, religious figures, security forces and international partners. They have also broadened the scope of their activities in the region.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“Recent remarks regarding government control or even its failure in Afghanistan are the result of premature assumptions, which have the potential to undermine public support for efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the country. We should stay the course with firm determination and prevent security nuances from weakening our resolve to achieve our shared goals. Let us not forget that we, Afghanistan and our international partners, have made undeniable gains towards a strong, stable and democratic Afghanistan. By all standards, the achievements made thus far reflect remarkable progress. Today, a greater part of Afghanistan is secure from terrorism and violence. The fight against terrorists and extremists continues. Thanks to the support of our international partners, our security forces have become stronger and more effective.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“Allow me to begin by congratulating you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for the month of March and expressing our appreciation for the convening of this important meeting on the situation in Afghanistan. On behalf of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, I congratulate Mr. Kai Eide on his recent appointment and wish him every success in fulfilling the task entrusted to him. We look forward to working closely with him and promise to do so. We are thankful to Mr. Jean-Marie Guehenno for his briefing today and to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the situation in Afghanistan. Increased terrorist attacks by the enemies of Afghanistan have led to some ill-judged and misguided perceptions of the situation in the Afghanistan.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“We remain committed to supporting every measure, both within the Council and within other relevant organs of the United Nations, to protect the rights of children in armed conflict. After all, by protecting our children, we are securing our future.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“By doing so, we will meet the preconditions for the creation of an environment conducive to sustainable human development and the well-being of our children. My delegation commends the work undertaken by the relevant United Nations agencies to protect and promote the rights of children in armed conflict, particularly the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. We are particularly grateful to UNICEF for its ongoing efforts in support of a better and brighter future for our children. In conclusion, I would like to underscore the commitment of Afghanistan to ensure the protection of children's rights in general.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“These include food, water, adequate shelter and sanitation facilities. Their situation is further complicated by the difficulty in gaining access to supplies and humanitarian assistance. In that regard, we welcome UNICEF's latest appeal for financial assistance in support of the situation of children in Afghanistan. Addressing the protection of children in armed conflict requires the collective commitment of the international community. It also necessitates a comprehensive strategy encompassing key pillars. As part of the effort to safeguard the rights of children, the international community should place a special focus on poverty alleviation, lending financial and economic assistance to post-conflict countries so as to enable them to achieve their development goals.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“We are also concerned about the loss of life and injury suffered by children during counter-terrorism operations, mainly as a result of the Taliban's use of the civilian population as human shields. In that regard, we call on our international partners to exercise the maximum caution and to enhance coordination with Afghan security forces during counter-terrorism operations to avoid the loss of civilian lives. Despite considerable progress in improving the lives of our children - as seen in the reduction in the infant mortality rate by 85,000 per year and in the increased access to health centres throughout the country - the humanitarian situation of our children remains dire, owing to the prevailing security situation. Hundreds of thousands of Afghan children lack the basic necessities for a decent life.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“In the most malicious practice conceivable, terrorists are recruiting children and sending them out to function as suicide bombers. As documented in a UNICEF report entitled "Child Alert: Afghanistan", released in October of last year, a 16-year-old Afghan boy was ordered to wear a vest full of explosives and to detonate it in Ghazni province. The report quotes the boy as saying, "The remote control battery was with me, but I could not do it and threw the battery away If I didn't do it, they said I would go to hell". In that regard, we remain extremely concerned about the use of religious schools in the region where children are indoctrinated and deceived into carrying out terrorist acts.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Such attacks, which have occurred mainly in the southern provinces, have led to the closing of 384 of the 721 schools in the provinces of Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan and Zabul. Terrorists have spared no effort to harm all segments of society as they have increased their attacks in densely populated areas or in the vicinity of public gatherings. Such acts have had a devastating impact on the lives of our children. Just three months ago, a terrorist attack against a parliamentary delegation in Baghlan province led to the death of more than 50 children, while another 90 were severely wounded. In that context, I express my delegation's appreciation to the Council for its swift response in condemning the attack on 8 November. Afghanistan's enemies have resorted to new and brutal tactics.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source