GENEVA: India on Wednesday condemned the “mindless terrorist violence” against the innocent Afghan population and maintained that all efforts for peace and reconciliation should be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.
“The Afghan side should have greater responsibility of running and managing its own affairs. International community need to continue to support the people and the Government in their efforts so that there can be enduring peace, stability and end of terrorist violence,” Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said at the Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan here.
The meeting was aimed to evaluate and strategise on developmental policy achievements during the ‘transformation decade’ (2015-24) for the country.
India has reaffirmed its commitment to the rebuilding and reconstruction of Afghanistan even as New Delhi reiterated its development assistance commitment of over USD 3 billion for the war-torn country.
Expressing India’s support for an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan, Gen Singh underlined Government of India’s perspective on the development cooperation assistance to Afghanistan keeping the priorities of the people of Afghanistan at its centre.
“Economic reconstruction and development is a key pillar for enduring peace and stability in Afghanistan. India has been engaged in a development partnership with Afghanistan that is based on the objectives of building capacities for governance; training human resource; creating infrastructure; enhancing connectivity; promoting trade and investment”.
A robust bilateral development cooperation dialogue is in place to ensure that these are in consonance with National Peace and Development Framework and National Priority Programmes of Afghanistan, he said.
India has committed over US$ 3 billion towards economic development, humanitarian assistance, reconstruction and capacity building in Afghanistan, Gen Singh said.
The Minister also called on Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
He also held bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of Norway and Hungary.
“At the conclusion of the Ministerial Conference, the Geneva Communique entitled ‘Securing Afghanistan’s Future: Peace, Self-Reliance and Connectivity’ along with the Geneva Mutual Accountability Framework document on Deliverables was adopted,” an MEA statement said.
(AGENCIES)
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