News

On 18-19 March, a meeting and a regional security conference of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) leaders’, including the Lithuanian ones, of the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in four regions of the Western Afghanistan took place in Herat. During the conference, means of further stabilisation of the security situation in the region and of the improvement of coordination of the development cooperation efforts were discussed.

Military representatives and civilians from the delegations of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in the Western Afghanistan in Herat, Badghis, Farah, and the Lithuanian-led PRT in the province of Ghor, and the Lithuanian Special Mission in Afghanistan took part during the events.

During the meeting of the PRTs leaders’ the information was exchanged on the planned ISAF operations this year in Afghanistan, efforts to strengthen the competences of the administration in the provinces and support to Afghan National Security Forces.

PRT-6 troops’ commander colonel Albertas Kondrotas and Head of the Lithuanian Special Mission in Afghanistan Aleksandras Matonis also met with ISAF’s Regional Command West commander Major General Fausto Macor and visited the Italian-led PRT in Herat, where they were informed about the activities of military representatives and civilians.

During the conference, diplomats and civilian experts from Italy, the U.S.A. and Lithuania exchanged experience in development cooperation and implementation of civilian projects.

‘Each PRT faces different challenges, therefore, it was useful to hear about the ways that our partners meet them and what is the most important before the begining of the summer season, we were able to coordinate our actions for joint security operations directly,’ spoke A.Kondrotas.

‘Setting an example of Lithuania’s activity in the province of Ghor, we tried to demonstrate how efforts of military representatives and civilians in one direction could assure the friendliness of the local people and accelerate provincial development even on a tight budget,’ said A.Matonis.

Currently, the PRT-6 troops serve in the NATO ISAF Mission. The core of the PRT-6 is made up of the King Mindaugas Battalion (Panevėžys) soldiers. Four Lithuanian civilians serve in the Special Mission, which coordinates the development cooperation efforts.