US, allies are engaged in Afghanistan: Envoy

KABUL (Agencies): The United States Embassy in Kabul hosted an event on post-peace challenges and opportunities and the US Chargé d’Affaires Ross Wilson said his country and its allies are engaged in Afghanistan to support the country “unlike the Soviet Union,” which abandoned it to “another cycle of war and violence.”

“Unlike when the Soviet Union fled this country and abandoned it to a new cycle of war and violence in the early 1990s, this time, the European Union, the United States, such partners as Norway, Japan Australia, many others I can identify, the entire apparatus of the United Nations and its various agencies, the World Bank, a variety of non-governmental organizations, at least a couple of which are represented here, all of those remain engaged here as strong supporters to help this country and its leaders, including you,” he said.

The US envoy said an important issue is the intra-Afghan negotiations.

“Who exactly will participate in the talks and how will that work? Obviously that discussion is intense and it’s an important one, but also before Afghans–and I think especially those who are here–is the issue of what Afghans want to do in those talks? What should be their substantive goals and objectives? What should be their top priorities and red lines? What negotiating strategies will get outcomes that Afghans want and need?” he added.

Other participants at the event – titled “Policy Dialogue on Peace and Economics” organized by the US Embassy and the Biruni Institute – stressed the need for the international community’s help after a peace deal with the Taliban.

“Thirty-three percent of our budget is spent on the war, another 33% is spent on reconstruction of the destruction from this war; therefore, two-thirds of our budget is spent on the war,” former minister of economy Mustafa Mastoor said.

“Our country is war-weary and it does not have the facilities to repair the impact of war with our own resources,” former finance minister AnwarulHaqAhadi said. “Therefore, we call on the world countries to continue their assistance for building infrastructure (in the country).”