(Check Against Delivery)
Statement by H.E. Mr. Motohide Yoshikawa
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
At the Open Debate of the United Nations Security Council
On the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
17 September 2015
1. Opening
Mr. President,
Allow me to begin by expressing my gratitude to you for convening this important open debate on Afghanistan. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Mr. Nicholas Haysom for his comprehensive briefing. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to Ambassador Zahir Tanin of Afghanistan who is leaving us very soon after many admirable achievements in New York, for his service to his country as well as to the UN.
2. Green Ground Project in Gamberi Desert
Mr. President,
Japan is proud to be one of the strongest supporters of Afghanistan. We have long been accompanying Afghanistan in their path towards reform and self-reliance. Japan’s assistance in the amount of 5.8 billion U.S. dollars since 2001 extends to a wide range of areas. We have worked with Afghanistan and its people in strengthening law enforcement and justice, infrastructure, rural development, human resources and agriculture.
I would like to focus on one exemplary success story in the field of agriculture, which is illustrative of Afghanistan’s great potential for realizing self-reliance.
The key words for my statement today are “agriculture” and “self-reliance”.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 37.3% of the land of Afghanistan is considered “barren” and thus infertile. Under this backdrop, in 2003, Dr. Tetsu Nakamura, a Japanese medical doctor and his NGO “Peace Medical Services” (PMS), launched a project in the Gamberi Desert in Nangarhar Province with the aim of transforming it into fertile soil.
Mr. President,
I would like to draw your attention to 2 pictures attached to my written statement distributed to you. What was a forbidding desert of 16,500 hectares in Nangarhar Province in 2005 had dramatically transformed itself into fertile croplands abundant with greenery by 2012.
By utilizing 18th century Japanese irrigation technology combined with Afghanistan’s own traditional methods, this “Green Ground Project” succeeded in establishing a highly effective irrigation system. Relying on age-old skills, this new irrigation system was able to withstand the seasonal spring floods that had impeded previous attempts.
The transformation did not stop there. Wheat production increased from almost zero to a capacity that is now able to feed more than 600,000 people. For those Afghans who had long fled from one destination to another, this transformation offered them a place to finally settle and make a stable living.
People began to enjoy greater job opportunities. Prior to this project, merely 30,000 people had worked in agriculture in the area. However, in a span of 12 years, this number increased five-fold to 150,000. With vastly improved job opportunities, we began to see greater social stability and a significant reduction in crime.
This summer, when the Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) and the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation (MAIL) observed what took place, they were at a loss for words. We could see that the transformation had far exceeded their expectations.
This extraordinary success story traces its beginnings to the grass-roots level. It was initially funded solely by the aforementioned NGO, the Peace Medical Services” (PMS). In 2010, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) joined in, providing technical and financial assistance. Now, the Government of Japan is looking to the possibility of cooperating with the Afghan Government and other organizations to disseminate this PMS-model irrigation system to other areas of Afghanistan.
3. International Cooperation
Mr. President,
The story of Gamberi Desert is just one vivid example of Afghanistan’s potential for realizing self-reliance. Japan firmly believes that, when the International Community and Afghanistan work hand-in-hand, similar achievements are possible in other fields as well.
Afghanistan has made great strides in its path towards self-reliance. Nonetheless, political uncertainties and instability have been undermining its economic potential. Under such difficult situations, we look to the National Unity Government of Afghanistan to intensify its reform efforts.
In this regard, we welcome that the Afghan Government reaffirmed all its commitments under the new “Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework” (SMAF), which was agreed at the Second Senior Officials Meeting held on September 5 in Kabul. As identified in SMAF, we look to the Afghan government to tackle crucial factors for sustainable growth, such as improving security, strengthening political stability, overturning corruption, achieving fiscal sustainability and promoting electoral reform.
The International Community, for its part, looks to reaffirm its commitment to provide necessary assistance under the principle of “mutual accountability”. In this regard, we also extend our appreciation to UNAMA for their meritorious efforts in successfully compiling the Tripartite Review Commission’s report on the role, structure and activities of all United Nations entities in Afghanistan.
4. Closing
Mr. President,
Afghanistan’s path to self-reliance presents vast opportunities as well as important challenges. Nonetheless, the transformation of the Gamberi Desert illustrates that step-by-step, Afghanistan is indeed progressing towards a brighter future. Japan, along with the international community, stands ready to accompany Afghanistan’s path toward peace, prosperity and self-reliance throughout the “Transformation Decade” and beyond.
I thank you, Mr. President.
