UAE welcomes progress in Afghanistan's Peace and Reintegration Program

The UAE has taken note of the progress in Afghanistan in empowering women, fighting illiteracy, and rebuilding the war-torn country.

Further, the United Arab Emirates has welcomed the positive progress made by the Afghanistan High Peace Council (HPC) in implementing the Peace and Reintegration Program, along with civil society and women’s organisations, based upon guidelines set at in a landmark UN resolution on women, peace and security.

The Security Council adopted resolution 1325 on women, peace and security on 31 October 2000, which reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian responses and in post-conflict reconstruction. The resolution stresses the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

''The UAE is looking forward to see greater participation, protection and empowerment of women as an integral part of the implementation of Afghanistan's long-term Strategy for Peace and Reintegration Program, said Mohammed Sharaf, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Economic and Trade Affairs, in a statement at the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia (HoA) - Istanbul Process - which concluded here on Saturday.

The meeting, which gathered senior officials of member and representative countries, was held under the theme 'Addressing Challenges and Achieving Prosperity,' and aimed to find ways to assist war-ravaged Afghanistan in its fight against terrorism for establishing peace in the region.

The UAE official noted that the UAE had been standing with the Afghan people since its plight erupted through political and economic support, either on a bilateral level or through international multilateral mechanisms, so as to implement projects for infrastructure, reconstruction and economic recovery. ''The UAE has offered assistance for undertaking vital developmental projects in health, agricultural, social and security sectors, as part of efforts aimed to restore security, peace, stability and counter terrorism,'' he said.

Over the last five years, he revealed, the UAE had contributed over US$ 400 million in security, economic, humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan.

He termed the Fatima bint Mohamed bin Zayed Initiative (FBMI) for traditional Afghan carpet weaving project and development of the Afghan countryside as an example for sustainable development projects for empowering women. The FBMI, he explained, had employed nearly 3000 workers, 90 percent of whom are women.

Outlining other UAE-funded development projects, the official said the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has provided US$ 149.6 million for implementing a 4000 unit social housing project in Kabul. Also, Dubai Cares pledged $ 1.3 million for primary education, pre-schooling development programmes and eradication of illiteracy in Afghanistan.

UAE projects in Afghanistan also included a $ 27.8 mn Emirates Mine Clearance Program in Kandahar and other contributions to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Officials and representatives of countries held deliberations on varied issues ranging from fighting terrorism, security issues, development, and cooperation at various levels between participating countries.

The Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process was launched in 2011 to encourage security, political and economic cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours.