Category: Leaders

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the best of His creation, Muhammad, and his family and his companions.

So let them serve the Lord of this House. Who feeds them and gives them security against fear [Al-Quraish: 3-4]

Honorable Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, venerable Deputy Prime Ministers, esteemed members of the Cabinet, representatives of world countries, academics, experts and all those present!

May Peace, Mercy and Blessing of Allah be upon you all

I am overjoyed that following positive developments in Afghanistan, we are able to convene such a high-level economic conference for the very first time.

To begin, I would like to express my gratitude to the Prime Minister for calling this meeting and to the Finance Minister and his team for preparing this vital conference.

Excellencies,

Over the last five months since the new government came to power in Afghanistan, entire focus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been centered around opening a new chapter of relations between Afghanistan and its neighboring, regional and world countries.

It was the need of hour that we present a real picture of Afghanistan and the Islamic Emirate to the international community following a two-decade propaganda war against us. Over the course of this period, we managed to hold meetings with foreign ministers and senior officials of neighboring, regional and world countries, as well as to travel to different states. Moreover, we also held the honor of hosting representatives and dignitaries of various countries and international organizations right here in Kabul.

These meetings and travels resulted in the opening of a new chapter of relations between Afghanistan and the world, clarifying to all that Afghanistan is now the owner of a responsible and committed political actor that believes in mutual respect and mutual interests. We were able to reduce negative perception about Afghanistan in our meetings, and build mutual trust and confidence.

Esteemed participants,

Economy has a distinct and key role in our new foreign policy. We believe in a neutral, balanced and economic-centric foreign policy. We are witnessing geo-political approaches being replaced by geo-economic approaches on regional and international stages. We believe that an economic-centric foreign policy has the potential of isolating conflict and bringing governments closer on the basis of mutual interests.

Objective of an economic-centric foreign policy is to both establish relations with the world based on mutual economic interests, and to transform Afghanistan into a hub of regional economic connectivity. We invite leading international governments and investment companies to invest in various sectors of Afghanistan. Moreover, with security taking hold in Afghanistan and with the advent of a responsible and corruption-free government, an opportunity has presented itself for us to play a pivotal role in regional economic connectivity. The time is nigh to turn this ambition to reality. Afghanistan from now onwards shall serve as an arena of cooperation, as opposed to competition, between governments.

With unremitting efforts, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are now connected with South-Asia via Afghanistan and Afghanistan is now regularly being utilized as a short transit route between these countries.

Another trilateral Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan transit agreement is also under works and all shall witness its materialization very soon. Our pursuit of becoming a transport transit center shall not end here, rather negotiations are underway to connect Russia, Kazakhstan and ultimately entire Central-Asia with South and South-West Asia. This shall on the one hand become a source of uninterrupted revenue for Afghanistan, and on the other, bind stability in Afghanistan with the economic interests of the region.

Excellencies,

Another key agenda of our foreign policy was attracting emergency humanitarian assistance, salvaging banking and monetary systems, and business growth regarding which we held consecutive technical meetings with related departments of various countries in our foreign travels and inside the country.

Attracting humanitarian assistance and working on changing international mindset to delink economic and humanitarian assistance from politics, easing sanctions on banking and financial systems and reaching agreements with neighboring and regional countries about increasing Afghan exports are elements that demonstrate our economic-centric policy.

Honorable participants,

We must not forget that the two-decade regime, endemic corruption, neglect of basic infrastructure and imposed wars resulted in our people facing a humanitarian catastrophe. Availing this opportunity, I would like to wholeheartedly thank all those countries and relief organizations that have extended humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable in our hour of need.

I, however, must add that humanitarian assistance may address short-term problems, but for Afghans to stand on their own feet and not become a burden for others or be forced to migrate from their homeland, we must pave the way for implementation of major economic projects in order to attain national self-sufficiency.

The Afghan government will exert its best efforts towards creating an even more secure environment for foreign and domestic donors and investors in investment and basic infrastructure projects. To end, I again avail this opportunity to call on the United States of America to unfreeze the assets of Afghanistan’s Central Bank and to remove all impediments for relief organizations and Afghans in money transfers to Afghanistan. We hope that world countries will also raise their voices for this pure human issue.

May Allah make this conference a source of economic progress for our beloved homeland.

Thank you for your attention!

May your remaining time be blessed.

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English translation:

To the organizers of today’s meeting, my fellow Afghan brothers and sisters in America, representatives of international organizations, honorable academics and political figures, and members of the media!

May Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you all!

I am glad to be addressing you all at a meeting convened in America for the very first time as peace and stability have also returned to Afghanistan for the first time after four decades, and the entire country is under the shade of a unitary government. The historic agreement signed between us and the United States in February 2020 resulted in all foreign forces exiting Afghanistan and a great positive development unfolding. The time has come to not repeat failed experiments and to give Afghanistan a chance, as a responsible side, to play a positive role towards world stability, economic growth and a better future.

Honorable participants!

Afghanistan passed a key and historic milestone in August last year. This development, contrary to many analysis and assessments, transpired in a very peaceful manner without any bloodshed, looting or destruction. This itself demonstrates that the recent developments had public support and legitimacy. The Islamic Emirate entered Kabul with a message of national unity and opened its arms of peace and brotherhood to its past political and even military rivals. It would be rare to find such civilized, humane and Islamic conduct in history.

We sought to enter Kabul city through dialogue and understanding, but as the head and security organs of the previous administration chose to run away and a power vacuum gripped Kabul, public figures and residents of Kabul requested our forces to enter the city and establish security. The Emirate had no plans of killing or detaining anyone upon entering Kabul, and our former opposition are still living a dignified life under the shade of the Emirate.

The Doha agreement is a good framework for relations between Afghanistan and the world, specifically with the United States of America. We believe that the complete implementation of the Doha agreement can remove existing impediments in relations between us and the United States of America along with its allies, therefore, it is needed that all sides remain committed to contents of the Doha agreement.

Esteemed participants!

Afghanistan has been a victim of foreign interventions, invasions, civil wars and a host of other tragedies since the year 1978. We want to open a new political chapter of good governance internally and relations with the region and the world. Foreign policy of the new government is positive, balanced and economic-centric. We seek positive and constructive relations with our neighbors, region and the world. We want positive interaction based on mutual respect with all nations so not to become a casualty of conflict of interests of great powers nor be a part of any hostilities. We similarly want to be the crossroads of Asia by transforming our country into a hub of prosperity and cooperation for our nation, region and the world through connectivity and transit. We will not allow anyone to use the territory of Afghanistan to the harm others and will also not allow others to interfere in our internal affairs. We respect the legitimate interests and demands of other nations and in return, we expect similar treatment from others.

The new government does not want its citizens specifically its educated and professional cadre to be encouraged or forced to migrate to Europe. Such is not in the interest of anyone and neither do we want Europe to be burdened with our refugees. Afghans should have a good life in their own homeland Afghanistan.

Dear attendees!

Diversity of thought, ideologies, ethnicities and languages around the world is a reality, and these realities must be acknowledged.

Afghanistan as a state and Afghans as a nation have differences and commonality with other world nations. Just as we are able to understand the differences of others, we expect that differences of Afghanistan also be discerned. Impositions of distinct foreign ideologies and political models on Afghanistan have not yielded results. Afghans currently have an opportunity to create a political structure in line with its national and religious values such that it is accountable both domestically and also carries out its international obligations in a proper manner.

Cabinet of the new government of Afghanistan is composed of qualified individuals from various regions and ethnicities of the country, however this process has not halted, rather reforms are underway on a cabinet level and in other areas, and you are witnessing them.

Moreover, we have five hundred thousand civil servants working in our government that also served with the previous administration. We have not fired former workers from their jobs, rather have paid them their salaries and utilized their capabilities without prejudice, and have given all Afghans, especially the youth, positions in the political composition and will continue to provide them with more opportunities.

Respected colleagues!

Corruption and strongmen have been severely curtailed in Afghanistan. Administrative corruption, usurpation, personal use of national resources and islands of power have been eliminated.

The new government exercising power over the whole country – that has secured Afghanistan’s geography and territorial integrity, established security, formed a responsible government and does not pose a threat to any world country – and as a ruling system reserves the right that world interacts with it formally. All must understand that political isolation of Afghanistan is not in the interest of anyone. Hence, all bear a responsibility to assist the existing stability and to strengthen it with political and economic support so that Afghans can stand on their own feet and bring this unending tale of violence and migration to an end, and not that to freeze the assets of Afghanistan or place sanctions on its banking and private sector.

To end, I thank you for convening this successful meeting about Afghanistan. Your efforts demonstrate that you harbor genuine love and sincerity for your homeland. The new Afghan government will support your sincere efforts and if humanitarian assistance is announced, we stand ready to facilitate its delivery and transparency. I again thank you for giving me the opportunity to participate and deliver a speech in this meeting.

My final request is to not look at Afghanistan from the lens of others, but to better understand the ground situation with first-hand information. Governance here is infinitely better than what the opposition and some media are trying to suggest. My expectation from faithful and just Afghans as well as cognizant fellow humans is to help us present an accurate picture of Afghanistan to the world.

Thank you.

May your remaining time be blessed.

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