KABUL - President Ashraf Ghani has said the unity government besides honouring promises with the Afghans and international partners is up for accountability of every signal penny for the sake of transparency in its affairs.
A statement from the Presidential Palace said the president met with Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) Stefano Maservisi late on Saturday.
The meeting discussed preparations for the upcoming Brussels Summit to be co-hosted by the Afghan government and the EU and regional cooperation, the statement said.
The Brussels conference will gather up to 70 countries and 30 international organizations and agencies and will provide a platform for the government of Afghanistan to set out its vision and track record on reform. For the international community, it will be the opportunity to signal sustained political and financial support to Afghan people.
Maservisi said the Brussels conference had special importance with regard to international assistance, partnership and stability in Afghanistan and the focus of international promises with the Kabul administration.
He said the renewed international pledges showed Afghanistan remained the core part of international community’s attention.
Maservisi praised the Afghan government’s gains in areas of security, development, regional cooperation, reforms, transparency and countering corruption.
President Ghani said the Afghan government would attend the Brussels conference with full preparation and major achievements.
He said Afghanistan had fulfilled its promises with the Afghans and the international partners and as a result had achieved significant gains in areas of security, reforms, the rule of law, anti-corruption, women’s rights and other various sectors.
The president said his government was trying to spend foreign aid money in an effective way and at proper places in order to improve the living standard of people and develop the country.
Ghani said his government would put itself up for accountability of every single penny in line with promises it had held out to the people of Afghanistan and the international community.
The president said the unity government had mobilized cooperation among the regional countries, which would have an important role not only in Afghanistan’s development but the entire region’s stability and development.
Based on its national programs and strategic location, Afghanistan was being turned into an Asia’s roundabout, said Ghani, who added Afghanistan had the potential to effectively connect South and Central Asia.(Pajhwok)