Hamid Karzai

“ To all of our international partners who have given much critical support to Afghanistan over the past five years and continue to do so today, I say today thank you for your valuable support.
To those of our partners who may be pondering their continued involvement in Afghanistan, I say the job is not over and the stakes are still very high. The security of the region and the world at large are not yet fully safeguarded. The war we are collectively fighting against international terrorism cannot be won with hesitation and uncertainty. ”

“ Many of us are plagued by poverty and environmental degradation; for some of us, trafficking in illegal drugs, corruption and red-tape are among significant obstacles to development and upholding the rule of law.
Perhaps by far the most fearsome challenge to the region’s prosperity today is the menaces of extremism and terrorism which threaten our people’s lives and livelihoods. Over the past five years, in our endeavour to rebuild Afghanistan into a healthy member of the community of nations, we have fought against extremism and terrorism in our region. ”

“ We the countries of this region are co-habitants of a shared geography and are linked by deep historical and cultural ties. Together, we have great assets for economic development, from our hugely untapped natural resources to our people who are young, dynamic and eager to learn and prosper. Together, we must utilize our assets to grow. Afghanistan, lying at the heart of this region, is proud to be your partner in this collective effort to achieve regional prosperity. ”