Acting Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius: Lithuania will continue to support Afghanistan’s peace and reconstruction efforts
On 24 November, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius took part virtually in the Afghanistan Conference in Geneva and assured that Lithuania would continue to work together with the international community to help Afghanistan achieve peace, security and economic independence.
The Foreign Minister noted that the international support would be meaningful and effective, if the Afghans themselves were to work out a peace agreement, approve guidelines for the reconstruction of their war-torn country, and commit to use its assets and donor aid in a transparent and responsible manner. At this critical moment, it is of great importance to ensure a successful outcome from peace talks between the Afghan Government and the Taliban under way in Doha, the capital of Qatar, which would also enable the country to revive its economy.
“It is important to ensure that the fundamental principles of democracy and human rights, including the human rights of women and minorities, are respected during the reconstruction process of the state and when rebuilding its civil society after the 19-year war,” said Linkevičius.
In implementing its responsible development cooperation policy and seeking to draw attention to the importance of women's empowerment in Afghanistan, Lithuania's Foreign Ministry will allocate EUR 50, 000 to a non-governmental organisation working for women in Afghanistan. According to the decision of the Government of Lithuania, EUR 500, 000 has been allocated to the Afghan National Army Trust Fund each year. In addition, 43 Lithuanian soldiers are serving in Afghanistan, as part of NATO's Resolute Support Mission.
The ministerial pledging conference was co-organised by the Government of Afghanistan, the Government of Finland and the United Nations. The conference aims to set the development priorities and financial support for Afghanistan for the 2021–2024 period. Besides the pledges of financial support, a joint political declaration and a new aid architecture are also among the anticipated outcomes of the conference.
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