G8 wants Kabul to combat corruption

WASHINGTON (PAN’s sovereignty and national unity, foreign ministers of G8 countries on Thursday urged the Karzai administration to address the issue of corruption and work on improving governance.

Following their meeting in Washington, in preparation of the G-8 Summit in Camp David next month, the world’s eighth largest economies renewed their support for an Afghan-led reconciliation process and vowed to help strengthen Afghan forces.

Held at the Blair House in Washington, rhe meeting was chaired by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“The ministers reaffirmed the agreement reached in Bonn for sustainable levels of financial support, consistent with the Kabul process, toward Afghanistan’s economic development and security-related costs as part of their enduring engagement with Afghanistan through 2014 and into the transformation decade (2015-2024),” the joint statement said. 

Looking forward to the ministerial conference on Afghanistan to be held in Tokyo in July 2012, they said the gathering would be an important opportunity for the international community and Afghanistan to demonstrate mutual commitments to the country’s sustainable economic development and substantial improvement of governance.

According to the statement, the participants acknowledged the progress made by the Afghan government and people with the support of the international community, saying significant work remained to ensure that the progress was sustainable.

“Reconciliation must contain the reaffirmation of a sovereign, stable and united Afghanistan; the renunciation of violence; the breaking of ties to international terrorism; and the respect for the Afghan constitution, including its human rights provisions, notably the rights of women,” it said.

It called for protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, including religious freedom, especially of women and minorities, and expanding opportunities for them to contribute to Afghanistan’s future.

The ministers stressed the importance of full respect for the traditions and religious beliefs of the Afghan people and observance of international human rights obligations and those under international humanitarian law, including in relation to the protection of civilians.

At the same time, the ministers urged Afghanistan to enact reforms to address corruption, enhance the rule of law and foster a business and legal environment conducive to private investment. 

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