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Dear All,

On July 20th representatives from 70 partner countries, including Foreign Secretary William
Hague and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell as well as international and
regional organisations and financial institutions attended the Kabul International Conference.

The attached factsheet sets out some of the key messages which may be helpful in
communications activity regarding the conference.

We encourage you to share this unrestricted document with your contacts.

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document as well as suggestions on issues you would like it to cover. Please email
ricu@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk with comments or if you would like to subscribe.

Kind regards,

Heather Butler

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17 February 2010
Kabul International Conference
On July 20th representatives from 70 partner countries, including Foreign Secretary William Hague
and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell as well as international and regional
organisations and financial institutions attended the Kabul International Conference.

During the conference Foreign Secretary William Hague said:

"The transition to full Afghan security responsibility should be gradual and determined by Afghan
capability, but it should be able to start soon. For our part, the UK will continue to provide support and
training to the Afghan security forces until that goal is achieved. We will always need to see that the
government is making the best possible use of our, and its own money. This means continuing on a
path of improved financial management and budget execution, as well as tackling corruption at all
times."

Key points

This has been an important and useful conference to mark the continued international partnership
in support of Afghan leadership. This is the first Conference to be held in Afghanistan at Foreign
Minister level and to be run by the Afghan government. This is a real achievement for the Afghan
government - a strong sign that it is taking the lead.

There are challenges but there is also progress being made. This Conference is an
important step forward for Afghanistan taking care of itself for the future. It builds on President
Karzai’s clear commitment to the Afghan people to renew efforts to bring about a secure,
prosperous and democratic future for Afghanistan. The British Government, fully supports that
vision. The GoA has a well defined programme, as outlined in the Communiqué and in Karzai's
speech, and the International community is aligned in its support for this.

Afghanistan is a sovereign nation. But one which has suffered 30 years of civil war and
instability which decimated its infrastructure and government institutions. A stable and secure
Afghanistan which is able to maintain its own lasting security and prevent Al Qaeda from
returning, is in the national interests of the UK and of all the nations represented here today. The
international community will continue to provide the necessary security and economic assistance
to build on momentum achieved so far in ensuring this.

To this end the Afghan government and international community are agreed on the importance of
a co-ordinated civilian, political and military strategy.

This will mean a phased approach to security-led transition of Afghan provinces from ISAF control
to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) with the aim of the ANSF leading military
operations across Afghanistan by the end of 2014. To help achieve this, the UK and international
community will continue to support the training and growth of the ANSF, which is well on track to
reach 300,000 by October next year.

The joint Afghan and international strategy for Afghanistan outlines the importance of the link
between providing security and ensuring better governance and economic development. For the
Afghan government to improve security, it has to convince its people that it - and only it - can
improve the daily lives of its citizens. This means better services, good governance, a fair judicial
system and fundamental human rights at all levels of government.

The Afghan government has already made progress, including publishing the asset declarations
of Ministers and officials, strengthening the High Office of Oversight, establishing the Monitoring
and Evaluation Commission and the Special Ministers Court, adopting the Sub National
Governance Policy and continued institutional reform in Public Administration.

17 February 2010
 Today the Afghan government set out the further steps it will take to build on these measures,
including implementing legislation around the Major Crime Task Force and the Anti-Corruption
Tribunal, addressing bulk cash smuggling and improving audit practices. It also outlined the
National Priority Programmes it will pursue in order to deliver increased economic development
and a roadmap for improved public financial management reform.

In return the international community pledged to align its support behind these programmes and to
work to deliver 50% of its aid through the Afghan government. The UK Government is on track to
achieving this and has committed to increasing its aid budget by 40% over the next 4 years.

A key part of the political solution is the Afghan-led process of reintegration and reconciliation. At
the London Conference the Afghan government committed to develop a detailed plan to take this
forward.

In June President Karzai led a national dialogue at the Peace Jirga to take this forward. The
programmes agreed at the Peace Jirga are moving forward, including establishing the High Peace
Council. During the conference the Afghan government has presented the Afghan Peace and
Reintegration Programme (APRP). The international community will continue to support efforts to
reintegrate those insurgents who agree to renounce violence and sever ties to AQ.

Good regional relations are important for the future stability of Afghanistan and of the region as a
whole. Trade between nations has long been one of the best ways of shoring up these relations.
The British Government warmly welcomes the historic agreement between Afghanistan and
Pakistan of a Transit Trade Agreement.

This conference is an important milestone in the Afghan - international community agreed

roadmap to full Afghan leadership. In January a conference was held in London, followed in June
by the Peace Jirga. At the conference a 100-day rolling process of monitoring and evaluation of
the pledges made was agreed. Every 6 months the UN and Afghan government will co-chair the
JCMB and will meet annually at Foreign Ministers' level. We look forward to transparent and
credible Afghan Parliamentary elections in September and to the Lisbon Summit in November
where we will review the Afghanistan strategy.

Background

Our forces are in Afghanistan to prevent Afghan territory from again being used by al Qaeda as a
base from which to plan attacks on the UK and our allies. Because Afghanistan is not yet capable of
securing its own territory, without the presence of UK and international forces, AQ would return to
Afghanistan and the threat to the UK would rise.

Afghanistan is not yet strong enough to look after its own security. The presence of NATO forces is
preventing AQ or the Taliban regime from returning, while we train Afghanistan’s own security forces
to take over that task from themselves.

Associated Articles

FCO News – William Hague Twitter Blog

BBC – Conference Endorses Afghan Goal for Security Handover

17 February 2010