MONITORING (SW) – US President Joe Biden has reiterated that Washington’s support for the Afghan government and its forces will not diminish.
President Biden met with President Ashraf Ghani and High Council for National Reconciliation Chairman Abdullah Abdullah of Afghanistan on Friday.
According to the White House, President Biden emphasized enduring United States support for the Afghan people, including Afghan women, girls, and minorities, through civilian, development, and humanitarian aid, as well as the continued provision of security assistance to support Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.
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President Biden expressed his concern about the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Afghanistan, and noted additional emergency U.S. assistance, including three million doses of vaccines, to help the Afghan government respond to the pandemic, it added.
“Our troops may be leaving, but our support for Afghanistan is not ending in terms of support and helping maintain their military, as well as economic and political support,” Biden said in the Oval Office. “We’re going to stick with you, and we’re going to do our best to see to it that you have the best tools you need.”
The meeting comes as Biden’s Sept. 11 deadline for the full withdrawal of US forces rapidly advances with the Taliban launching a bitter campaign against Afghan forces.
President Ghani expressed gratitude for Washington’s continued support, adding that he respects Biden’s decision to proceed with the US exit.
“We are determined to have unity, coherence, national sense of sacrifice, and will not spare anything,” he said, further noting government forces have re-taken six districts from the Taliban today, saying the military advances demonstrate Afghanistan’s “determination.”
Earlier in the day, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said after meeting President Ghani that as the two countries enter a new phase of relationship, there remained a great interest among the Americans in the future of women and girls in Afghanistan.
“As I think that the progress was made, I saw it myself in my nine visits to Afghanistan, the advancement of women and girls in your country. Thank you for your leadership, yours and Mrs. Ghani’s leadership in that regard”, she said.
On his term, President Ghani said Afghanistan faced a transition that 21 years of engagement of international security forces is being now dealt with in a systematic manner. “Thank you again Madam speaker. And thank you for your friendship and commitment to the empowerment and further improvement of the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan and all the Afghan people.
ENDS
