Geneva Conference on Afghanistan: ‘Despite achievements, Afghanistan still struggling with corruption’

GENEVA (SW) – President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said on the second day of the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan that despite progress in the fight against corruption, it remains a major issue.

Addressing the GCA, he said the National Unity Government has a strong will to fight corruption, and those who are accused of corruption, even if they are government officials, will be tried. Referring to the latest elections in Afghanistan, Ghani said that the people of Afghanistan want peace and their participation in national process proves this claim.

The President said Afghan women and men are working hard for the country's future, and they indicate a positive change of a generation. He added that over the past few years, the NUG has amended at least 350 laws and regulations, and for the first time in history, Afghanistan has formed the counter-narcotics law similar to the UN counter narcotics laws.

He said that Afghanistan, after 100 years, has been able to specify municipal laws, has made reforms in the economic sector that got it the membership of the World Bank. The Afghan President also talk about the achievements in implementing the law on access to information and reforms in the Supreme Court, adding that the government has been able to bring about legal reforms in very short term.

According to Ghani, 1,750 officers retired in 2016, which was not expected in the past decades.

The President said the goal of reform is to achieve self-sufficiency. He added the government in Afghanistan managed to increase its revenue by 70% from 2012 till 2017.

Referring to the role of women, he said that it is of strategic importance to the government, and efforts are underway to make this role more prominent. The President added that the Afghan people are fighting against international terrorism on behalf of rest of the world.

Poverty and child malnutrition were among the other issues that the President spoke about at the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan. According to him, 40% of the Afghan population are below the poverty line, and the government is working on a comprehensive strategic plan to eradicate this phenomenon.

Ghani added that 60% of Afghanistan's population is under the age of 25 and that's why special attention has been paid to the youth in the economic and development strategy. He added efforts are underway to build 6,000 schools and hire 30,000 teachers for the next five years. The President said that after several months of consultation, he has set up a delegation for peace talks.

Speaking about the peace process with the Taliban, he said if the rebels want changes in the Constitution, these changes should be based on the ground realities of the day. He also talk about the continuation of ties with the international community, and about the ownership of the peace process.

The President said that over the past few years, despite many challenges, the people are optimistic about the future.

Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of the NUG, also spoke on the occasion. He said the peace talks does not mean Afghanistan should comprise the achievements and go back to the past. According to him, the peace process has entered the second stage, and in this process special attention has been paid to the rights of minorities and women.

Foreign Minister, Salahuddin Rabbani, said on the occasion Afghans proved in the parliamentary elections that they would brave all threats to decide about their own destiny. He said the people are hopeful to put an end to the war with a political solution. He said the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan provides an opportunity to look at threats and look for solutions.

According to Rabbani, Afghanistan has achieved a lot despite the challenges, in terms of provision of services and regional ties, which is impossible without the support of the international community. He cited the example of CASA – 1000, the Chabahar Port, TAPI and Silk Road as successful projects in the economic fields.

On the second day of the GCA, Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, said that despite the fact that violence has devastated Afghanistan, the country has achieved a lot in the area of ​​peace. He said the peace process should be led by the Afghan people. He hoped that the GCA would prove worthwhile for Afghanistan.

In the two-day GCA, the Kabul government has briefed the international community about the utilization of the $ 15 billion pledged by international community in Brussels in 2016.

ENDS