STATEMENT BY H.E. DATO? S.THANARAJASINGAM, AMBASSADOR OF
AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
IN SUPPORT OF
Honourable Co-Chairmen,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen;
May I congratulate the three co-hosts, France, Afghanistan and the United Nations for organizing this timely and indeed successful meeting. We also wish to reiterate our continued support to the leader and peoples of Afghanistan as they work towards peace, stability and prosperity.
Excellencies,
2. The launching of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, an important highlight at this conference, which represents a blueprint for the development of Afghanistan over the next 5 years, marks a significant milestone in the continuing close cooperative endeavors between the international community and the Government of Afghanistan towards building a truly stable, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan. Malaysia is confident that the launching of the new initiative, would inject the much needed impetus to the ongoing programme of reconstruction of Afghanistan to ensure that the long term strategic goals of the programme, as specified in the framework of Afghanistan Compact, would be fully achieved.
Excellencies,
3. Malaysia?s active engagement in international efforts to assist Afghanistan is broadly reinforced by our close interactions with the Government of Afghanistan to enable us to identify and extend the appropriate form of support and assistance for Afghanistan within the framework of bilateral cooperation between both countries.
Excellencies,
4. Capacity building has been and will continue to form the main thrust of Malaysia?s assistance to Afghanistan, consistent with the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, which we fully support. Since 2002, Malaysia has been able to provide training programmes for at least 200 Afghan officials in various training facilities in Malaysia within the framework of Malaysia Technical Cooperation Programme. Those training programmes involved a broad area such as public administration, agriculture and narcotics law enforcement. A special training module in the fields of diplomacy and international relations had also been conducted, at the request of the Afghan Government, for its young diplomats.
Excellencies,
5. We have also given strong focus to enhance Afghanistan?s capacity in dealing with drug related issues. Through our close consultations, a comprehensive human capital development programme covering such areas as economic planning and management, poverty alleviation and multicultural nation building, has already been formulated by the Malaysian Government to meet the development needs of Afghanistan until 2013. These training programmes will exceed USD350,000 and we will look forward to collaborating with them in other areas as well.
Excellencies,
6. Malaysia looks forward to continue working closely with the international community in all efforts to assist Afghanistan in its reconstruction initiatives. It is our sincere hope for this Conference to reach to a fruitful conclusion, to reinforce and consolidate the process of socio-economic development, capacity and institution building in Afghanistan, in the interest and well-being of its people.
Thank you.