REMARKS
Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry
May 16, 2009
Kunar Province, Afghanistan
AMBASSADOR EIKENBERRY: It is wonderful to be back in Kunar Province. It’s Kunar Province where the mountains are very high, the rivers run very fast, and the people are courageous, they’re intelligent, they’re peace-loving, and as I know from long experience they are so hospitable. Governor, thank you so much for the invitation to be here today with friends. I’d also like to represent my old friend from the Minister of Communications, Minister Sangi; a new friend, the Minister of Women’s Affairs; and another old friend, the Deputy Minister of Defense Akron.
Let me be very brief today. I came back to Kunar today – I think it’s probably my tenth trip to Kunar. But I came back to Kunar today to see and to hear, and to hear from you. So let me talk then briefly.
The first thing I saw when I came back to Kunar to this wonderful province, and as the Governor said, the first province that I visited since arriving with my wife who is here today, the first province I visited since I came back to Kabul with my wife five days ago. The first thing I saw is the progress that has taken place in this province. There’s been a tremendous return to a more normal life. There’s a much brighter future, a much brighter future that’s very clear right now for your children.
When I left my friends two years ago, although I’ve been back several times in the past two years as I was working with NATO, I came back from time to time, but now back here, I wanted to ask the question as I came here to Kunar, how is Kunar, how are the people of Kunar doing in making progress towards their three objectives? Of course, what are those three objectives? I think it’s peace, it’s justice, it’s prosperity for you and prosperity for your children.
So I asked those questions then since I was gone. How far against the objectives of peace, justice and prosperity has Kunar come just in two years?
I look at the objective of peace and I see that much progress has been made. Security is better. I look at the objective of justice and I see a great Governor here. I see many old friends, leaders who I know are great leaders of this province. I see old friends like my great friend Mullah Naqibullah sitting back here. And I’ve got confidence that justice is improving.
Then I asked the question about prosperity. Two years ago when I left, I was very proud as a military commander that we had been able to help this province, to assist in this province in building one road. Now there are many roads that they talk about, both on the east and west side of the Kunar River. I was so happy when I left that we had together one bridge that we were talking about building here in this province. Now there are seven bridges. I remember when I left two years ago I was very happy that there was talk about agricultural programs, but still no action. Now there’s a radio show that provides education for farmers. Now there’s an Afghan veterinary, animal husbandry technical group which has provided, I learned since I left, assistance to over 300,000 animals. Several years ago there were several health clinics that were being built and I was so proud to be able to be part of our government and our military efforts to help with health care. Now I learn that there are 18 health care clinics throughout the province with 85 percent, 85 percent of your people being able to get to primary health care. Mullah Naqibullah when I was here two years ago talked to me about the importance of education for your future and there were several plans to help develop more schools in Kunar. Now I learn there are plans for 60 schools to be built.
I am so proud to be back among friends to see how much you’ve accomplished, and I have to tell you as the United States Ambassador, I’m very proud of the contributions that our civilians and our military have made towards your progress. But there is still so much to do. I understand there are very severe challenges that you and your families are facing. And while I’m here later today, I’m hoping to hear more directly from you, as I heard from the Governor this morning, about these challenges.
There are terrorists and there are criminals that want to take this away. The Army of Afghanistan, the Afghan Police, the Afghan Border Police – I know that they still need further assistance and we are committed to this. The Governor emphasized to me this morning in his office the importance to continue with road building. He emphasized the importance of really beginning to expand the delivery of power and electricity to the province. He emphasized water management and he emphasized also that this year for Kunar is the year of education and of agriculture.
I know we’re all realistic here, that progress will not come overnight. I know we have to be patient. I know that we have to build for our children’s generations. But I do pledge on behalf of the President of the United States, I do pledge on behalf of the United States government that we remain committed to your success in Afghanistan. And we are not alone here. We are here with the international community.
Let me say one word about politics right now in Afghanistan before I conclude. This is a very exciting time in your country as you know in the election process you’re in, the campaign process for your presidential election and for your provincial elections. The United Nations and the United States of America, we are very committed to helping the government of Afghanistan, to helping the people of Afghanistan to ensure that the election that takes place in August of this year is a free and a fair election, an election in which all candidates have an equal opportunity to have their voices heard for the people. But this is not the United Nations’ election. This is not any foreign country’s election. This is the Afghan election, and this is an election for the people of Afghanistan to decide upon.
Let me conclude now with a few remarks.
I know that the people of Afghanistan, they want more than anything to take control of their own lives, to be able to take control of their country, to be able to take control of their communities. I believe that’s what the people of Afghanistan aspire to.
The principles of what the United States, in partnership with you, the people of Afghanistan, in partnership with the government of Afghanistan, what we will always try to do in every enterprise that we have here, in every activity, we will ask three questions. Is what we’re doing in partnership with you helping to build your own capabilities, your own capacity? Is what we are doing here in support of you? Is it building Afghan leadership at every level? And third, is what we’re doing here in partnership and support of you helping to develop your own sustainment of whatever we have here?
I know that we have made progress but we have a long ways to go. But we stay committed, again, to your success, a common effort to bring peace, to bring justice, to bring prosperity. Your own success is the United States of America’s success. We absolutely believe in you.
Thank you very much. It’s good to be back.
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