14 Feb 2013

AFGHANISTAN / HIGH LEVEL MEETING

Senior Afghan and United Nations officials said yesterday (13 February) the support of the world body should continue, at the request of the Government, in a coherent manner by reinforcing an Afghan-led development agenda. UNAMA

Posted at: February 14, 2013 5:25 pm

Duration: 01:38

Available in: SD

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STORY: AFGHANISTAN / HIGH LEVEL MEETING
TRT: 1.38
SOURCE: UNAMA
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 13 FEBRUARY 2013, KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

SHOTLIST:

1. Pan right, High Level conference
2. Med shot, conference
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Afghanistan:
"After a decade of partnership, you are looking today at a new framework for the UN's engagement, not less but different UN in Afghanistan. It is characterized by the realities of transition and will be followed by a decade of transformation."
4. Cutaway, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Afghanistan:
""While transition continues toward greater Afghan ownership and responsibility, Afghanistan will still benefit from the support of the UN. In particular, the UN's good offices are vital to move from its traditional role to technical support of Afghan-led political processes and capacity building for Afghan institutions."
6. Cutaway, participants
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ján Kubiš, Special Representative of the secretary General for Afghanistan (UNAMA):
"The United Nations will continue to provide support, at your request through the critical but challenging transition process and beyond. We are here to assist in building the stability, growth and prosperity that the Afghan people aspire to and deserve."
8. Cutaway, journalists
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ján Kubiš, Special Representative of the secretary General for Afghanistan (UNAMA):
"At the United nations discussions is under way on how to best support Afghan-led political and development processes leading up to 2014 and then the transformation decade beyond."
10. Zoom out, conference

STORYLINE

Senior Afghan and UN officials said the support of the world body should continue, at the request of the Government, in a coherent manner by reinforcing an Afghan-led development agenda.

Talking at the second annual high-level meeting between the Government of Afghanistan and the United Nations (UN) Country Team yesterday (13 February) Afghanistan's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Zalmai Rassoul said in his opening remarks that, "After a decade of partnership, we are looking today at a new framework for the UN's engagement in Afghanistan,"

While recognizing the role played by the UN in building "a more peaceful future for the country", Minister Rassoul said, "While transition continues toward greater Afghan ownership and responsibility, Afghanistan will continue to benefit from the support of the UN. In particular, the UN's good offices are vital to move from its traditional role to technical support of Afghan-led political processes and capacity building for Afghan institutions."

The UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ján Kubiš, said the UN was in the country to assist in building the stability, growth and prosperity "that the Afghan people aspire to and deserve".

Calling the Afghanistan-UN partnership over the last six decades as "deep and enduring", Kubiš said, "The United Nations will continue to provide support, at the Government's request, through the critical but challenging transition process and beyond." He added that the UN was already discussing about how to best support Afghan-led political and development processes leading up to 2014 and then the transformation decade beyond.

He also called on the Government to meet its commitment in the areas of "human rights, combating corruption and meeting key economic, social and cultural rights in the delivery of services".

Afghanistan has been a member of the United Nations since 1946. In July 2010, at the Kabul Conference, Afghan President Hamid Karzai requested the UN to adopt a "One UN" approach, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon agreed.