Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta called on the international community to strengthen the role of the Afghan institutions in its efforts towards recontruction. These should be involved in such a way, that they are able to increasingly provide services for the Afghan citizens on their own.
In face of the problems, Spanta furthermore pleaded to keep in mind the significant progress made in the previous years.
The meeting of the JCMB – the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board – brought 25 delegations, including the Afghan delegation, to Berlin.The JCMB was established during the London Conference at the beginning of 2006 as a central committee steering Afghan reconstruction. It coordinates the measures adopted by the Afghan Government and its international partners. The JCMB is co-chaired by the Afghan Government and the United Nations.
Alongside numerous Afghan cabinet members, UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Tom Koenigs took part in the conference.
Practical Steps
G8 President Germany seeks to provoke an exchange of political ideas on how to better steer and pinpoint international commitment in future, said Steinmeier.
- In his opening speech, Steinmeier pointed out three particularly determining factors for success.
- A continued reform of the security sector – to increasingly empower the Afghan state in safeguarding its own security.
- Better coordination of military action with civil reconstruction measures
- Promotion of the fundamental principle of Afghan ownership
The tenor throughout the event was that the JCMB has proven its value as the central coordinating committee. Now is the time to further strengthen it. The first step should now be to win over the Afghan hearts and minds.
