The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Afghanistan has welcomed NATO’s pledge to support Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the international forces from the country.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday that NATO’s future support to Afghanistan “will have three main pillars.”

“As we end our military presence, we are opening a new chapter. NATO’s future support will have three main pillars,” he said.
Stoltenberg stated: “First, we plan to provide advice and capacity support to Afghan security institutions, as well as continued financial support to the Afghan security forces.”

Second, he went to say that NATO allies are planning to provide military education and training to the Afghan security forces outside Afghanistan, focusing on Special Operations Forces.

“And third, we are planning to fund the provision of services, including support for the functioning of Kabul airport,” NATO Secretary-General stated.

Meanwhile, the MFA said a statement Saturday: “We appreciate NATO’s statement reaffirming its support to Afghanistan on capacity building, support to the institutions, financial support, and training of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces and providing services for the functioning of Kabul airport. We consider NATO’s support commensurate with the needs of the ANSDF.”

The Ministry stated that it considers NATO’s decision as a practical step at the beginning of a new chapter of cooperation between NATO and Afghanistan in the capacity building of the ANSDF “to fight against terrorism and to ensure lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region.”

The Ministry added that Afghanistan is “ready to strive within the new chapter of cooperation to fight against common threats, terrorism, and violent extremism in Afghanistan, the region, and beyond, establishing an independent, sovereign, united, and peaceful Afghanistan based on democratic structures.”