Stabilisation of Afghanistan: challenges for the EU and the international community

The Council adopted the following conclusions on the situation in Afghanistan:

• Firstly, the Council reaffirms the EU's commitment to long-term support for the people and government of Afghanistan. The core principles of EU engagement remain unchanged: promoting Afghan leadership, responsibility and ownership, and fostering the development of a democratic, secure and sustainable Afghan State;
• The Council welcomes the progress made in 2007. Afghanistan is experiencing significant economic growth. The media are generally free and robust. Health and Education have undergone important advances. Relations with neighbouring states, notably Pakistan, have shown signs of improvement. The Council also welcomes the various initiatives to outreach, engaging with disaffected Afghans and offering them a return to society provided they renounce violence and are not part of any terrorist network;
• Security remains a very direct challenge to stability in Afghanistan. The EU fully supports the work done by ISAF (International Security Assistance Force – led by NATO) in providing a safe environment for reconstruction and development and assisting the Afghan Government in countering the insurgency and violent opponents of a peaceful and democratic Afghanistan. However, Afghanistan still faces serious challenges, particularly regarding governance, rule of law, corruption, and narcotics. The EU and its member states will further support the Afghan Government in its effort to meet these challenges;
• The Afghanistan Compact and the Joint Declaration Committing to a New EU-Afghan Partnership remain a comprehensive framework for EU engagement with Afghanistan. The Council notes the mutual commitments made within this framework, and encourages all parties to meet them;
• The EU's cross-cutting priority remains the promotion of human rights, paying special attention to women's and children's rights. Execution of death penalties, the conditions for imprisoned children and women and alleged use of torture are recent examples of concern. The Council would like to make an urgent appeal to halt any possible further executions and to reconsider the ending of the de facto moratorium on the execution of the death penalty.
• The Council calls upon the Government of Afghanistan to further improve national and local governance. Substantive reform and major improvements in governance are needed urgently, both centrally and locally;
• The Council reaffirms its support for the Government of Afghanistan's efforts to promote and extend the rule of law through development of the police, courts, prisons and the wider justice system to the regional and provincial level;
• The Council is determined to contribute significantly to police reform through the EU police mission. EUPOL is now deploying across the country and should reach full complement of 195 by Spring 2008. The Council recognises the considerable challenges involved in ensuring that EUPOL reaches its full potential, and will give the mission all necessary backing to overcome them. The deployment of EUPOL represents an increase in EU efforts in Afghanistan. This underlines the need to place all EU efforts within an integrated and comprehensive approach. The EU reiterates its support to the central role of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in coordinating donors' civilian efforts. Moreover, promoting the UN's outreach to all provinces is essential to support development and enhance coordination. The EU will promote greater donor coherence, including improved coordination between the military and civilian international engagement in Afghanistan;
• The Council notes that success in combating drugs production and trade is vital to the stability of the country as a whole. The Council recognises the links between the illicit drugs business and the insurgency. A coherent implementation of the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy is of the utmost urgency;
• The Council recognises the importance of a strong commitment by neighbouring and regional partners to the stabilisation of Afghanistan, and favours advancing regional cooperation as an effective way to promote security, governance and development in Afghanistan;
• The Council will regularly review the implementation of EU policy towards Afghanistan.