January 31, 2008
No. 23
The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable
Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, and the Honourable
Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, today issued the following statement on
the second anniversary of the Afghanistan Compact. This landmark five-year
agreement between the United Nations, the international community and the
Government of Afghanistan maps Afghanistan’s road to recovery in three key areas:
security, governance and development.
“On this anniversary, the Government of Canada pays tribute to the dedication of those
working to implement the benchmarks outlined in the Compact and improve the lives of
Afghans. These include development workers, diplomats and civilian police, as well as
members of the Canadian Forces serving as part of the UN-sanctioned, NATO-led
International Security Assistance Force.
“Rebuilding the country after decades of war is a long-term undertaking that requires
patience and commitment. Challenges remain in Afghanistan, particularly with respect
to maintaining stability. Yet real progress has occurred in recent years to improve the
lives of ordinary Afghans who have suffered from decades of violence and oppression.
“Now, more than six million children are enrolled in school, infant mortality rates are
significantly reduced, thousands of Afghan National Police officers and army personnel
have been trained, per capita income has doubled since 2004, and millions of refugees
have successfully been reintegrated into Afghan society.
“Canada stands behind the Afghan people, who have courageously embraced change.
Our efforts in Afghanistan continue to be guided by the Compact—a tool that ensures
that forward momentum is sustained.
“With a commitment of $1.2 billion until 2011 for development and reconstruction,
Canada is among the world’s top five donors to Afghanistan and a leading donor in
education. These efforts are in keeping with Canada’s commitment to our foreign policy
values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”
Signed on January 31, 2006, in London, England, the Afghanistan Compact has the full
backing of the UN and is based on needs and priorities identified by the Government of
Afghanistan itself.
The text of the Afghanistan Compact can be found at www.canada-afghanistan.gc.ca.
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