UNifeed: UN / AFGHANISTAN

UN / AFGHANISTAN

UN Special Representative for Afghanistan Kai Eide says that the upcoming August election is more than choosing Afghan leaders, but about strengthening the people's confidence in the democratic process. UNTV / FILE

Duration:02:44Date:30 June 2009

Categories:

United Nations Television, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, POLITICAL AND LEGAL QUESTIONS, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND SECURITY, AFGHANISTAN

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Full Script

STORY: UN / AFGHANISTAN
TRT: 2.44
SOURCE: UNTV / UNHCR
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 30 JUNE 2009, NEW YORK CITY

SHOTLIST:

RECENT 2009, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

30 JUNE 2009, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Security Council meeting
3. Cutaway, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Kai Eide, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, United Nations:
“The August election is about more than choosing Afghanistan’s leaders. It is about strengthening peoples’ confidence in the democratic process, and about strengthening Afghanistan’s institutions. It is not only about who will lead, but about the legitimacy of leadership.”
5. Cutaway, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Kai Eide, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, United Nations:
“The Ministry of Agriculture this spring asked for an urgent contribution of 5.5 million dollars for the purchase of wheat seed to allow farmers to plant next year’s crop. In spite of a number of appeals, it has not been possible to provide resources required. We cannot end up in a situation where we have to turn to Bill Gates to meet urgent requirements of this nature.”
7. Cutaway, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Kai Eide, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, United Nations:
“Let me repeat again: the clear majority of civilian casualties are caused by the insurgency. For them, it is not a result of tragic mistakes, but of deliberate policy.”
9. Cutaway, delegates
10. Cutaway, delegates
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador John Sawers, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, United Nations:
“We welcome the arrival of new troops in Afghanistan, especially in the south. This will improve security and also with the significant number of troops dedicated to training will help strengthen the Afghan national security forces. The key to lasting success in Afghanistan is to build up Afghan security forces so that they can take lead responsibility for delivering security to the Afghan people.”
12. Cutaway, delegates
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Sudan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States, United Nations:
“The United States does not support or oppose any particular presidential or provincial council candidate. Instead we support the right of the Afghan people to choose their own leaders. That is why we are working with Afghan electoral authorities and the UN to help Afghans ensure a credible secure and inclusive electoral process.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council

FILE – UNHCR – 24 OCOTBER 2007, AFGHAN BORDER WITH PAKISTAN

15. Various shots, people

FILE – JALALABAD, AFGHANISTAN

16. Various shots, refugees

FILE – UNHCR – 10 OCTOBER 2008, DARI AFGHANISTAN

17. Wide shot, returnees at bus station
18. Wide shot, loading buses with luggage
19. Wide shot, bus station with people

FILE – UNHCR – OCTOBER 2008, MOAJIR QUESLAQ, AFGHANISTAN

20. Various shots, village with displaced people
21. Med shot, woman filling water jugs
22. Med shot, men sitting men

FILE – UNHCR – 25 OCTOBER 2007, SHEIKH MESRI TO9WNSHIP, AFGHANISTAN

23. Various shots, village

STORYLINE:

The current situation in Afghanistan, marked by the most intense fighting in years, and upcoming presidential polls, is extremely complex, but if managed well could also become a turning point in ending the conflict, the top United Nations envoy to Afghanistan, Kai Eide told the United Nations Security Council today.

Eide said that the upcoming election in August was more about strengthening people’s confidence in the democratic process, than choosing Afghanistan’s leaders. He added that it was not only about who will lead, but “about the legitimacy of leadership.”

Presenting Ban Ki-moons latest report on Afghanistan, Eide highlighted recent progress like the strengthening of security institutions, and reforming agriculture and the private sector, noting a “totally new momentum” in these areas.

But he said recently, the Ministry of Agriculture had asked for an urgent contribution of 5.5 million dollars for the purchase of wheat seed to allow farmers to plant next year’s crop, and that despite a number of appeals, it had not been possible to provide the required resources.

“We cannot end up in a situation where we have to turn to Bill Gates to meet urgent requirements of this nature,” he said.

Eide told the council that the Secretary-General appealed for a review of the operation of the Special Forces, which by far accounted for the majority of civilian casualties caused by pro-government forces and that the UN would continue to monitor and address incidents of civilian casualties.

At the same time, he stressed that the clear majority of civilian casualties are caused by the insurgency. “For them, it is not a result of tragic mistakes, but of deliberate policy.”

He noted that the ongoing conflict was seriously undermining the prospects for peace. The number of security incidents rose beyond the 1,000-mark for the first time in May, and there were more incidents in parts of the country which up to now, had been relatively stable. “This is the most intense fighting season we have experienced,” he said.

Following Kai Eide’s presentation, British Ambassador John Sawers welcomed the arrival of new troops in Afghanistan, adding that would improve security and help strengthening the Afghan national security forces.

Commenting on the upcoming election, United States (U.S.) Ambassador Susan Rice said that the U.S. did not support or oppose any particular presidential or provincial council candidate, but  supported the right of the Afghan people to choose their own leaders.

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