Canada Welcomes Afghanistan’s National Unity Government

The Canadian foreign affairs ministry has issued a statement welcoming the agreement between Presidential candidates on establishing national unity government.

The Presidential candidates Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai signed the agreement Sunday noon in a ceremony attended by President Karzai, cabinet members and civil society activists.

“Canada welcomes the agreement between Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah to form a Government of National Unity,” foreign affairs minister John Baird was quoted in the statement.

“This peaceful agreement will bring additional stability and prosperity to Afghanistan by ensuring that all Afghan citizens will be represented by the new government, and by the historic transfer of power from one president to the next,” the statement added.

“We congratulate the Afghan people for their continued commitment to the democratic process as they patiently awaited this announcement. Canada recognizes that a vast majority of Afghans have chosen a path toward economic development, free of corruption and are determined to act in Afghanistan’s national interests.”

“Afghanistan’s new leadership, including Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, will need to move quickly to address the range of economic and security challenges it faces in order to restore business and investor confidence.”

“Canada looks forward to working with the new government to help it meet these challenges.”