بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Colleagues,
At the outset, I would like to warmly congratulate the government and brotherly people of the Islamic Republic of Iran for hosting and assuming the chairmanship of the sixteenth NAM summit and extend my
appreciation for the warm and generous hospitality offered to me and my delegation. I trust in your able leadership and let me assure you, Mr. Chairman, my dear brother Dr. Salehi, of my delegation’s full
support and cooperation in taking this summit towards its successful deliberations.
I would also like to take this occasion to extend my sincere gratitude to the government of Egypt through my dear colleague Foreign Minister Kamil Amr, for showing an active and constructive leadership of our
Movement over the past three years.
Let me also offer our sympathy and condolences to the people of Iran for the damage and destruction caused by the recent earthquake in the country.
We pray for the survivors and their families and wish them all the best in their recovery efforts.
Mr. Chairman,
The sixteenth NAM Summit is being convened after more than fifty years since the establishment of the Movement, during which time the world has undergone a drastic transformation and momentous changes.
Nevertheless, the world still faces complex and common challenges in the areas of peace and security, economic development and social progress, human rights and the rule of law, which have a direct impact
on stability and prosperity around the world. It is abundantly clear today that no country, regardless of size, neighbourhood or resources, can solve these challenges and problems alone.
That is just not possible in today’s world. At this critical time, more than ever, and
despite changes in countries’ alignments over the years, it is vital to look at the Non-Aligned Movement’s founding principles and objectives to find common solutions to our common challenges and
problems.
Over the five decades of its existence, NAM has proven its importance to contribute to a safer and more prosperous world, and it will remain relevant for a long time to come to help us in dealing with the rising
global challenges through facilitating our collective efforts for advancing and implementing the very principles upon which NAM was built.
As a founding member of the Movement, Afghanistan is as committed as ever to advancing the noble goals and principles of our organization.
For our part, we’re committed to working closely with all members on the issues under discussion by this Summit, among them regional and international peace and security, reform and revitalization of the
United Nations system so that it can play an even bigger and more substantive role in promoting international peace and security; disarmament and non-proliferation; confronting extremism and
terrorism; transnational organized crime; narcotics; environmental issues; women’s empowerment and human rights as a whole.
Mr. Chairman,
We meet here today at a critical juncture in my country’s journey towards long-term peace, security and development. It is a time where the efforts of the Afghan people, supported by the international
community, over the past decade have reached a moment of truth.
Despite challenges of insecurity in parts of the country caused by the ongoing terrorist activities in our region, we remain firmly on a strong path towards long-term peace, security and prosperity in
Afghanistan. Since the last time I met with you in Sharm el Sheikh in May, we have continued our efforts in the framework of the Transition process, keeping our focus on the full and sustainable success of this
nationally vital goal.
We’ve taken practical and tangible steps toward strengthening regional cooperation, including through the second ministerial meeting of the Istanbul Process in Kabul in June, where we agreed to collaborate on
implementing specific confidence building measures in the Heart of Asia region.
Our Transition is on track. We are determined to complete security transition by the end of 2013 as agreed with our international partners. Following transition, we’ll embark on the Transformation
Decade (2015-2024) with our regional and international partners, as agreed in the Bonn Conference of December last year, Chicago in May this year and the Tokyo Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan this
July.
We’ve also kept our focus on realizing an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, the surest path to long-term, sustainable and durable peace and security in the country.
Mr. Chairman,
We’re deeply concerned about the ongoing situation in Syria where countless of Syrian brothers and sisters lose their lives to violence, something that needs to stop soon. And we continue to firmly believe
and strongly urge a peaceful resolution in that country through an inclusive political process that enjoys support from the international community.
We also welcome the appointment of Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi as the new UN-Arab League joint representative to Syria. I am confident in Mr. Brahimi’s ability to bring the best of international support and
diplomacy to resolving the situation in Syria.
We also remain gravely concerned about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, which has compounded the hardships facing our Palestinian brothers and sisters. We urge
increased regional and international efforts to end the current impasse there, with a view to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. As always,
Afghanistan supports the Palestinian people’s right to an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Mr. Chairman,
Let me reiterate that NAM’s founding principles are as relevant today as they have been since this movement’s establishment. NAM has proven its importance for the peaceful settlement of disputes, safeguarding of human rights, and achievement of justice, development and improve
global governance to the benefit of all humanity.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to convey our deep gratitude and appreciation to all NAM member states in aiding our efforts to realize peace, security and stability in Afghanistan.
Thank you
