Ghani Lays Out Reforms Progress At SOM

AVA- Addressing delegates attending the Senior Officials Meeting in Kabul on Thursday Ghani gave a run down on the current situation in the country and on progress that has been made, particularly regarding reforms.
 
He said that through the country’s Self-Reliance Roadmap, presented in London and followed up in Brussels last year, the Afghan government is committed to forging a stable, sustainable country through a long-term process of reforms and institution building.
 
He said however that the Taliban and its affiliates have been carrying out an unprecedented and “bloody attack” on the Afghan government and its people.
He stated that the number of dead and wounded on the battlefield was “truly horrific” and that the Taliban and its supporters are responsible for this current bloodbath in the country.

“I spent too much of my first year as president holding bodies of maimed children in hospitals, covered with burns from bombs that had been deliberately aimed at ordinary villagers,” he said.

He stated that the valor displayed and the sacrifice endured by the Afghan defense and security forces is an expression of Afghanistan’s deep-rooted patriotism and “our Islamic belief in the justice of our cause.”

“And yet today, Dr Abdullah (Abdullah) and myself are here, speaking in a united voice on how to secure the future of Afghanistan for the generations to come.”

He stated that the national unity government has taken ownership of the country’s responsibility to be a democratic, peaceful neighbor to countries in the region and that “Afghanistan does not and never will be a sponsor of international terrorism.”

On the issue of corruption he said: “We believe (in a) very realistic national anti-corruption strategy that is already being put into practice.

He said reform is being conducted in seven key areas but first the critical drivers of corruption are being tackled.

“We took ownership of our responsibility to stop corruption. With your help, we established the Anti-corruption Justice Center,” he said adding that for the first time in Afghanistan’s history senior security officials found guilty of corruption have been jailed.

He said the Anti-corruption Justice Center has tried over 300 cases of high-level corruption since its establishment last year.

Ghani also stated that government has reached out to its neighbors and that “no country in our region has tried harder to sign treaties, develop shared resources, free up trade and promote the kind of dialogue that will turn peaceful cooperation into greater welfare and security throughout the region.”

According to him reforms must be speeded up; but that there are processes in place now to boost investment. He said however that waste and obstructions need to be cut out.

Ghani stated government “will be accelerating private sector reform programs, and simplifying pro-investment regulations.”

This he said would be to encourage international partners to bring in expertise and capital which would help boost the domestic economy and create jobs.
He told delegates that as critical as economic growth, regional trade, and domestic security were, “there is one reform whose importance trumps all of them.”

He said this was rule of law. “The Constitution is our statement of values and of the national consensus for how disputes and disagreements get resolved without the use of arms and violence. Our Constitution defines our people’s rights,” he said.

He told delegates that “we will need your best ideas for what will bring inclusive growth to our country and we look forward to a lively discussion today and in the months ahead.”