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| Updated: 19-Jun-2007 | Speaking Notes |
PRESS CONFERENCE 24 JAN 07
Good Morning. I want to cover a couple of issues this morning. The first is the reconstruction and development that is taking place in the PASHMUL / PANJWAYI / ZHARI area. The work that is going on there is significant and is proving to be very good for local governance and the local people. The recent operations aimed to, create the conditions for IDP return through support to, and delivery of humanitarian aid and Quick Impact Projects (QIP) and enable longer-term sustainable development. ISAF, working closely with the International Community and the Government of Afghanistan (GoA), continues to make very significant progress in all areas and all support has been aligned to, and co-ordinated with the KANDAHAR Provincial Disaster Management Committee (DMC). The IDP return trend remains positive with many families returning to date. ISAF humanitarian assistance also remains well synchronised with UNHCR and WFP initiatives. For example, Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation & Development survey staff working with District Development Assembly (DDA) members and the community have surveyed 400 dwellings and more will follow. They have 32 ongoing projects to the value of $825,000 in PANWAYI / ZHARI and completed 29 projects in recent months, totaling $380.000, in Agriculture, Transportation and water/sanitation. Whilst all this good work is continuing, encouraging refugees back to the area, building the economy and ensuring that governance is seen throughout the area, we continue to keep the initiative, taking the fight to the enemy. Working very closely with the ANSF, we are planning operations in the spring that will continue the momentum you are currently seeing. And with the opening of the JIOC tomorrow, you will see the ability of all 3 militaries, Afghanistan, Pakistan and ISAF, to plan more effectively together to defeat a common enemy. We have the initiative, and much of the fighting is down to our actions, rather than the insurgents. We are taking the fight to areas traditionally they have considered safe, and in the spring we will disrupt them on the borders, disrupt them in the sanctuaries and ensure that they do not have the capability to launch major operations. The Taliban have no desire to see a peaceful and developing country and they failed in their objectives last year. They do not have the interests of the people in mind when they attack and kill the police or innocent civilians. All they are interested in is power for themselves. And yet you can see, as the slide shows, that investment, jobs and development are coming to areas where the Taliban have been removed, or have given up. This is due to ISAF and the Government of Afghanistan. Contact Information:
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