Ottawa- June 14, 2021
"The heartbreaking tragedy in London, Ontario has left us deeply saddened. I extend my profound condolences and pray for the speedy recovery of the little boy, the only survivor. We must stand united against all forms and manifestations of Islamophobia and hate crimes across the globe."
Ottawa- June 03, 2021
Watch a virtual event on Afghanistan and investment opportunities in the extractive industry which was hosted by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan, in collaboration with the Embassy of Afghanistan in Ottawa, this past March as part of PDAC 2021:
Ottawa- June 01, 2021
Congratulations to Fawzia Koofi on her latest achievement in being named one of the top 50 world leaders by Fortune Magazine! Ms. Koofi was a former Afghan MP and now is a leading voice, alongside three other Afghan women, in the Afghan peace talks looking to protect the rights of Afghan women and girls. Despite the many challenges that she has faced, Ms. Koofi continues to courageously fight for women all over Afghanistan and to preserve the progress of the last 20 years.
Read more here: https://fortune.com/worlds-greatest-leaders/2021/fawzia-koofi/
Ottawa-MAY 24, 2021
By HASSAN SOROOSH, The Hill Times
Looking to the future, Afghanistan and our international partners must work together to define and shape the new chapter of our partnership through a common narrative and integrated efforts.
The recent decision by the United States and other NATO allies to withdraw their remaining forces from Afghanistan has given rise to a “narrative of doom and gloom.” While there are risks and challenges associated with the pull-out decision, such a narrative is both overly pessimistic and simplistic, and fails to recognize a number of important facts and elements on the ground.
First, the actual security transition in Afghanistan took place in 2014 when international forces officially ended their combat mission in Afghanistan and out of over 130,000 forces at its peak in previous years, only around 130,00 forces remained in the country for a train, advise, and assist mission.
Since 2014, contrary to the negative predictions suggesting that the Afghan state would fail and collapse following the security transition, the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) has emerged as a capable and vital national institution, leading efforts in providing security and fighting against common threats, including terrorism. Over the past two years alone, ANDSF has been able to conduct more than 90 per cent of military operations in Afghanistan independently and has effectively pushed back the recent attacks by the Taliban across the country.
Second, the government of Afghanistan respects the pull-out decision and views it as a new chapter in our long-term and multi-faceted partnership with the international community which goes beyond military presence and includes other important elements, such as development cooperation and security sector support.
Third, the Taliban’s narrative of victory is a false narrative resulting from being too much incentivised without reciprocation. The Taliban has failed to live up to its commitments, including cutting ties with terrorist groups; reducing violence; entering into meaningful peace negotiations and preventing the return of its released prisoners to battlefields.
And even though the decision to pull out international forces has put an end to the Taliban’s justification for Jihad, they abandoned the peace talks rather than abandoning violence. The violence has only intensified with a new wave of brutal attacks that continue to target innocent people, including school children.
Looking to the future, Afghanistan and our international partners must work together to define and shape the new chapter of our partnership through a common narrative and integrated efforts.
First, the past two decades in Afghanistan have been marked by a sustained partnership driven by our shared values that include democracy, the rule of law, human rights, women’s empowerment, as well as peace, friendship, and cooperation. Along with continued development and humanitarian assistance, many courageous men and women in uniform from Canada, U.S., and other international allies fought alongside ANDSF in defence of these shared values and thousands of them made the ultimate sacrifice for this noble cause for which we are enormously grateful.
From improved access to education and health services, to undeniable democratic gains, and a growing generation of empowered women holding leading positions in various areas in Afghanistan—there is so much progress to show for the collective efforts we have made together since we began our common journey in 2001. We must, therefore, work together to preserve and enhance these hard-won gains through an enduring partnership, honouring our collective efforts and sacrifices.
Second, we must counter the false narrative of victory being promoted by the Taliban. The Taliban needs to feel real pressure from the international community and understand that they can no longer use the peace process as a tool for legitimization and that they have to instead enter into meaningful negotiations, otherwise, concrete collective actions including more severe sanctions and isolation will await them.
The Taliban must understand that the only way forward is their integration into an inclusive and democratic society and that the only acceptable end state of the peace process for the people of Afghanistan to be supported by our international partners is “a sovereign, Islamic, democratic, united, neutral, and connected Afghanistan” which would serve as a hub for trade and transit and an important driver of economic growth, development and stability in the wider region and beyond. They must also understand that a comprehensive ceasefire is a serious and legitimate demand of the Afghan people and our international partners and remains a key element of the peace process.
Third, while the risk of terrorism has been diminished due to our collective efforts over the past two decades, it has not disappeared. There is a need, therefore, for maintaining our collective counter-terrorism capabilities including through continued support to ANDSF. In addition to this, the growing link between terrorism, narcotics and organized crime and the relevant support network outside Afghanistan must be addressed effectively.
Afghanistan and our international partners deserve a shared future free of fear, violence and uncertainty. While the people and government of Afghanistan continue to display courage and commitment in support of the peace process, a genuine regional engagement and consistent international support remain crucial in reaching lasting peace in Afghanistan.
In this context, Canada, as a global champion in promoting democracy, human rights, women’s empowerment, pluralism and multilateralism, and as one of the largest donors to Afghanistan, is well-positioned to continue playing a leading role, along with the United Nations, United States and key regional and international partners, in ensuring a coordinated and sustained international support to peace and development in Afghanistan.
Hassan Soroosh is the ambassador of Afghanistan to Canada.
Link:
https://www.hilltimes.com/2021/05/24/far-from-doom-and-gloom-a-new-chapter-in-afghanistans-partnership-with-the-world/298577
Ottawa- May 21, 2021
The Embassy of Afghanistan in Ottawa will be closed on Monday, May 24, 2021 on the occasion of Victoria Day.
به اطلاع مراجعین محترم رسانیده می شود که سفارت ج.ا.ا در اوتاوا به روز دوشنبه مورخ ۲۴ می ۲۰۲۱ مطابق با ۳ جوزا ۱۴۰۰، با در نظر داشت رخصتی عمومی در اونتاریو تعطیل می باشد.
ټولو محترمو مراجعینو ته خبر ورکول کیږي چې، په اوتاوا کې د ا.ا.ج سفارت به د دوشنبې په ورځ چې د ۲۰۲۱ کال د مۍ میاشتې له ۲۴ او د ۱۴۰۰ کال د غبر ګولي له ۳ نېټې سره سمون لري، په اونټاریو کې د عمومي رخصتۍ له امله رخصت وي.
Read a recent article by Deputy Chief of Mission, Mr. Sayed Mujtaba Ahmadi on Canada's assistance to Afghanistan and the prospects for long-term bilateral cooperation:
How Canada’s Assistance Has Benefited Afghanistan
Canada’s assistance over the years has had a real impact on the lives of Afghans.
In an effort to stabilize Afghanistan, Canada contributed more than $3.6 billion since 2001, placing it among Afghanistan’s top 10 donors. Canada mainly channeled its assistance to Afghanistan through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, an international trust fund administered by the World Bank that supports national programs to achieve Afghan national priorities. Security sector assistance is provided by Canada through NATO’s Afghan National Army Trust Fund (ANATF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)’s Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA).
Canada’s contributions to ANATF help to maintain and strengthen the Afghan National Army by providing technical assistance and professional development, as well as training and operational support. While Canada’s military role in Afghanistan officially ended in 2011, it maintained its non-combat assistance to the country largely via development projects. Empowering women, and developing healthcare, infrastructure, education, and the Afghan security sector, are some of Canada’s key contributions to the country.
At the 2020 Afghanistan Conference that was co-hosted by the governments of Afghanistan and Finland along with the United Nations, Canada pledged $270 million in bilateral development assistance to Afghanistan during 2021-2024. This pledge comes at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has put a tremendous strain on the Canadian economy. This is just one example of Canada’s commitment to peace and stability in the war-torn country. Afghanistan sincerely thanks Canada and recognizes its invaluable friendship.
Due to the endemic conflict in Afghanistan, Afghan women and children have perhaps suffered the most. The war has taken their loved ones, and deprived them of some of their fundamental rights, such as access to health and education. Canada was one of Afghanistan’s leading partners in attempting to empower Afghan women and protect children’s rights by promoting education. The country helped build many schools and trained 3,100 teachers in Afghanistan. More Afghan girls and boys are enrolled in schools than ever before, and Canada’s contribution to this achievement has been vital.
Also, Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Despite some degree of improvement, Afghanistan still witnesses more than 600 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Canada has stood with Afghanistan and disbursed funds for healthcare. For instance, in Daikundi province, Canadian aid financed the establishment of a 58-family health house that provides maternity services, child health care, and pre- and postnatal care awareness. Bamyan provincial hospital, established in 2017, is another contribution that Canada has made to Afghanistan’s healthcare. Canada has also provided assistance to train more than 2,000 health care personnel, including doctors, nurses, midwives, and community health workers. Canada’s contribution to Afghan health has helped save thousands of Afghan lives
The Dahla Dam and Arghandab irrigation system in Kandahar province are Canada’s signature contributions to Afghanistan’s infrastructure. These projects irrigate 30,000 hectares of land and offer 5,000 seasonal jobs in the agricultural sector.
On the peacekeeping front, during their deployment, the Canadian forces were responsible for providing security in Kandahar. Canada supported and trained Afghan security forces in medicine, logistics, communications, and air operations. In collaboration with other partners, Canada has also contributed to the demining program that successfully removed approximately 80 percent of detected landmines and other explosive remnants of war across Afghanistan.
Canada has also supported the ongoing Afghan peace negotiation process. “Canada is closely following the Afghan peace negotiation and hopes that its outcome results in a lasting peace and prosperity in Afghanistan,” Canada’s then-Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a telephone conversation with his Afghan counterpart, Mohammed Haneef Atmar, last September. The Afghan government’s vision is that the talks with the Taliban result in enduring peace for the country, one in which Afghans, including women and minorities, will enjoy their fundamental constitutional rights.
On April 21 of this year, Canada’s new Foreign Minister Marc Garneau, in a phone call with Atmar, stated that Canada “remains committed to supporting the Afghan people in their quest for sustainable peace and believes that the protection of human rights and inclusiveness must be central to the peace process.”
The government and people of Afghanistan acknowledge that Canada’s assistance has had a real impact on Afghans’ lives. Although Canada’s aid to the country remains instrumental, Afghanistan has enormous potential to contribute to the Canadian economy via trade relations. The current annual bilateral trade between the two countries stands at $21.86 million. Exploring joint venture investment opportunities, especially in Afghanistan’s mining, agriculture, renewable energy, information technology, and civil aviation sectors, could bring massive wealth to both economies and enhance overall relations between Canada and Afghanistan.
Sayed Mujtaba Ahmadi
Sayed Mujtaba Ahmadi is the deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Canada and has a Master in International Relations and Comparative Politics from California State University, Northridge in Los Angles. He has previously served as director of policy and oversight at the Office of National Security Council of Afghanistan, deputy ambassador at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in India, acting consul general of Afghanistan in Los Angeles, and deputy director-general for the First Political Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan.
Source:
Ottawa- May 11, 2021
