OTTAWA: JULY 1, 2022:

A message by Ambassador Hassan Soroosh on the occasion of Canada Day:

“On behalf of my family, staff and myself I extend my best wishes to all Canadians on the occasion of Canada Day.

Despite the recent tragic developments in Afghanistan, our shared values continue to drive the friendship and partnership between the people of the two countries.

The people of Afghanistan remain grateful for the previous assistance provided by Canada and the sacrifices made by the Canadian men and women in uniform alongside the Afghan National Security and Defence Forces in support of important areas such as democratic process, education, health, women’s empowerment and counter-terrorism as well as for Canada’s ongoing support in response to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

We are also thankful to Canada as a global leader in resettlement for the commitment and ongoing efforts to resettle vulnerable Afghans to Canada and for standing in support of human rights of all Afghans particularly women and girls who are denied access to their most basic rights including education and the right to work under the Taliban.

Canada’s sustained support remains crucial in ensuring an inclusive future for all Afghans based on our shared values including human rights, justice and pluralism.

We are proud of the Afghan diaspora who continue to play a key role in contributing to Canadian society, bringing their ideas, aspirations, and skills to moving Canada forward. We appreciate the Afghan Canadians who continue to play an important part in support of vulnerable people in Afghanistan during this tragic time.

The embassy looks forward to further working with our friends and colleagues in Canada as well as with our diaspora community to advance our shared priorities and values.”