Afghan forces post-2020 funding on agenda as NATO defense ministerial kicks off

Speaking during a press conference ahead of the Defense Ministerial, Stoltenberg said “We will close the Ministerial with a meeting on Afghanistan, together with our Resolute Support partners.”
The Secretary General of NATO further added that “Allies and partners are stepping up – with both forces and funding.”
In regards to the deployment of additional forces to Afghanistan, Stoltenberg said “We have added around 3,000 more trainers to our mission.”
“And we are discussing how to extend funding for the Afghan forces beyond 2020,”he added.
Stoltenberg also hailed the Afghan national defense and security forces for their bravery and professionalism in the fight against terrorism.
“The Afghan forces are performing with professionalism and bravery. And creating the conditions for a political settlement,” Stoltenberg said.
Emphasizing on continued NATO support to Afghanistan, Stoltenberg said “So we must continue to assist them to support President Ghani’s bold initiative for peace, and to encourage continued reforms to fight corruption and uphold human rights.”