Simon Coveney
Ceist:48 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Afghanistan. [26490/02]
Vol. 559 No. 5
48 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Afghanistan. [26490/02]
169 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on the situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26792/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 169 together.
The Government has welcomed the remarkable progress already achieved in Afghanistan in the past 12 months since the signing of the Bonn Agreement. We remain committed, at all levels, to the full implementation of the Bonn Agreement and the construction of a peaceful, democratic society in Afghanistan. This commitment was re-emphasised by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, at the conference held at Petersberg on 2 December to celebrate the first anniversary of the signing of the agreement. Deputy Kitt made it clear that our commitment to Afghanistan was for the long-term, and that we would continue to play our role in the steps being taken to promote its lasting social and economic development. However, notwithstanding the progress achieved, the Government also recognises the enormous challenges remaining in all sectors – political, economic, humanitarian and reconstruction.
At EU level, the special representative to Afghanistan, Mr. Francesc Vendrell, who is based in Kabul and has great experience of the region, is working closely with the Afghan authorities to implement the EU's policy in Afghanistan, in co-ordination with UN special representative Brahimi, and regional neighbours.
An EU troika visited the region from 11 to 12 November. Its focus was to seek information about the status of the Bonn Agreement and the future requirements of Afghanistan for assistance. This mission provided an important opportunity to assess fully the progress made since the adoption of the Council conclusions and to discuss a roadmap for future co-operation between the EU and the Afghanistan Transitional Authority, ATA. The results of this troika will further inform our approach during the coming months.