I am honored to represent the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Canada. Afghanistan and Canada have decades-long partnership which is based on strong bonds of friendship and shared values. In 2001, Afghanistan and Canada along with the rest of our international partners embarked on a common journey towards the overarching goal of achieving peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan and the wider world.   
The people and government of Afghanistan remain grateful for Canada’s active engagement in Afghanistan over the past 18 years which has helped improve the lives of Afghan people including women and girls’ access to education, health services, economic opportunities, justice and political participation. Taking this opportunity, I would like to pay tribute to all those men and women from the Canadian Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice alongside the Afghan security forces for the sake of common goals and shared values.
Our vision for the future is to further institutionalize our democratic gains and good governance, strengthen national institutions, build a self-reliant economy, ensure inclusive and balanced growth and revive Afghanistan’s historical role as a regional land-bridge and hub for trade and transit which would serve as an important driver of economic growth, development and stability in the wider region and beyond. 
In this context, we have pursued a self-reliance and reform agenda over the past few years which is now framed under the National Peace and Development Framework (ANPDF), National Priority Programs (NPPs), Afghanistan Sustainable Development Goals (A-SDGs) as well as the Afghanistan Self-Reliance Accelerator Package (ASAP). The Government of Afghanistan has also developed a clear roadmap for peace and a well-defined framework for post-peace socio-economic development.
On this path, Afghanistan continues to count on long-term partnership with Canada which remains among the 10 largest donors to Afghanistan. Building on the excellent efforts made over the past 18 years both in Ottawa and Kabul, our team at the Embassy and I will make every effort to further strengthen and deepen our bilateral relations in the years to come. We will place a special focus on expanding trade and investment between the two countries and women’s entrepreneurship development will be at the heart of our efforts in this regard.
The Afghan diaspora and students as well as our Canadian friends who have served in Afghanistan in the past will have a crucial role to play in expanding cooperation and deepening partnership between the two countries including in enhancing cultural, educational and academic exchanges. 
The Embassy of Afghanistan in Ottawa and our Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver will continue to work with all of you and to provide all the required services. We are also committed to providing updates on our website and pages regarding our key activities as well as major events and processes in Afghanistan.

Hassan Soroosh
Ambassador of Afghanistan to Canada