Statement

by H.E. Ambassador Bui The Giang,

Deputy Permanent Representative of Viet Nam,

at the Security Council’s Debate on “The situation in Afghanistan”

(30 June 2009)

Mr. President,

I thank you for convening this meeting. And there are only several hours away before the official conclusion of the Turkish Presidency of the month, I wish to join other colleagues in congratulating you and your team for the excellence with which you have led and conducted the work of the Council throughout the month. I also wish you the best of health and happiness as you are about to leave us. We will for sure miss you a lot.

I thank SRSG Kai Eide for his updated straightforward briefing and particularly for his tireless and productive endeavors on the ground. I also thank Ambassador Zahir Tanin of Afghanistan for his statement before the Council.

Mr. President,

It’s really heartening to learn about the major positive developments in many fields in Afghanistan in the last three months. Being in the center of both national and international political attention, the upcoming Presidential and Provincial Council elections have gone over a very difficult part of voter registration without serious security incidents, with the date of elections determined, the list of candidates finalized, and the powers of the President after 22 May endorsed by the Supreme Court. Efforts to expand the Afghan National Army (ANA), reform and strengthen the Afghan National Police (ANP) coupled with preparations for the establishment of a social monitoring mechanism with a view to ensuring the role of elected organs and civil society in overseeing the police performance at the local level are also commendable. In the field of governance, progress is visible in the fight against corruption, enhancement of administrative accountability, and capacity building, thus giving rise to the “civilian surge” which is aimed at extending the Government’s presence to the whole country, avoiding duplication and creating higher efficiency among existing governance structures.

Mr. President,

We acknowledge the closer and more effective regional cooperation Afghanistan has enjoyed during the last 3 months which is pivotal in helping solve the conflict, combat cross-border crimes and drug trafficking, and generate economic growth in the country. We appreciate the continued assistance from the international community to the Afghan Government and people. We especially commend UNAMA for its central role in better coordinating international action and assistance.

Mr. President,

Against this backdrop, we remain preoccupied by the continued deteriorating insecurity and increased level of violence in Afghanistan. The expanded fighting and insurgency activities in previously stable areas, the intensified intimidation, abductions and assassinations, and the continued deliberate targeting of public officials, civilian contractors, religious scholars and aid workers, and particularly attacks against United Nations personnel remain a key source of concern. We recognize the commitment to reducing civilian casualties, but regret at the 24% increase of civilian casualties as compared with the same period in 2008, and look forward to early concrete measures to actually and sharply bring down this figure.

Mr. President,

With less than two months left before the elections are scheduled to be held, we believe in the critical importance of international assistance in maintaining the positive momentum, and therefore we welcome the renewed commitment to Afghanistan's peace building process by international donors at the Hague Conference in March this year as well as the consensus on a more focused strategy to challenges in Afghanistan, which includes  adequately funded and effective civilian capacity- and institution-building programs. More efficient mechanisms should be developed to enhance donor coordination, aid effectiveness and coherence in the allocation and use of available resources. In this connection, we look forward to the Secretary-General’s presentation of the benchmarks at the September meeting of the Council. We, at the same time, share the Secretary-General’s emphasis on Afghan ownership, for no one but the Afghan people could do better the work of rebuilding and sustaining peace, and ensuring stability, growth and development of their own country. To this end, international assistance should fit into Afghan structures and priorities, and the process of Afghanization should gradually be the ultimate answer to all the challenges facing this country. With this in mind, we call upon all Afghan stakeholders to put the political stability of their country above their partisan or group interests, renounce violence, overcome divisions, and advance dialogue and cooperation in order to succeed in the major political events ahead, most immediately to make sure that the upcoming elections are fair, free and non-violent, with the broad voluntary participation of the Afghan people.

Mr. President,

To conclude, given the many similarities between Viet Nam and Afghanistan in both conditions and levels of development, and given Viet Nam’s comparative advantages in areas that agro-based countries like Afghanistan may often need in development, allow me to reiterate Viet Nam’s commitment at the Paris Conference last year to staying prepared to contribute our experience and expertise in postwar recovery and development to the reconstruction process in the brother country of Afghanistan.

I thank you, Mr. President.