National Security, Institutional Reform, and State-Building: A Strategic Vision for Peace, Stability, and Sovereignty

Chahar Chenar Palace, Arg

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Honorable brothers, Dr. Abdullah [Chief Executive], Mr. Danesh [Vice President], esteemed members of the Cabinet, Mr. Bahrami, Mr. Barmak, Mr. Khalid, Mr. Saleh, all Generals, the Chief of Staff, Senior Deputy Ministers, all officials of this assembly, and brothers and sisters: Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

The Tragedy in Kabul

Regrettably, the tragedy against our people was repeated yesterday in a different form. In that terrorist attack, a number of our fellow citizens in Kabul were martyred with great cruelty. This event showed what a dishonorable and ruthless enemy we face—an enemy that respects no human or Islamic values and whose only goal is killing, explosions, and suicide.

I offer my condolences to the families of all victims and wish a speedy recovery for the wounded. I tell the enemy: you cannot change our will toward an independent and developed Afghanistan through such crimes and horrors. Following such atrocities, the will and resolve of the Afghan nation to fight terrorism only grows stronger.

I tell the Taliban that they cannot absolve themselves of responsibility by simply condemning or denying involvement in yesterday’s attack. Even if they are not directly involved in this specific tragedy, it is they who have paved the way for such tragedies for others.

Gratitude to Outgoing Leadership

General Bahrami and Mr. Barmak, I thank you immensely for your commitment, service, and leadership. During your tenure, you proved your dedication to the people, the homeland, and the state of Afghanistan. Your services are deeply appreciated and valuable to me. I especially want to thank your families, whom you have barely seen due to your sleepless nights of service. The country will need you again, and God willing, we will call upon you in the future.

Change and rotation are fundamental principles in governance. Our system has now reached a maturity where the leaders of key state institutions can move where necessary and accept new responsibilities based on the leadership’s discretion and the prevailing conditions. Fortunately, this culture and principle have now become institutionalized.

The Pursuit of Peace and the Reality of War

Since its inception, the National Unity Government has held a clear position on bringing peace. We shared our practical plan for achieving peace with the nation and the international community. We have developed a peace plan that is unprecedented in Afghanistan's history, and there is a national consensus on it. We remain committed to a lasting and honorable peace and will continue our efforts to reach it.

However, until we reach peace, we are faced with a devastating and imposed war. The management and leadership of this war require greater decisiveness, prudence, and seriousness. According to the Constitution, defending every inch of Afghan soil and every Afghan citizen is the duty and responsibility of the government. We work for peace, but war also demands decisiveness and management from us.

Self-Sufficiency and International Relations

Our focus over the past four years has been on reforming the governance system and the security, defense, and economic sectors so that we can, God willing, reach self-sufficiency. Our international partners have cooperated with us according to existing agreements and continue to do so. I thank all the friendly countries of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is on the front line of the war against terrorism and is the first bastion of international security. Therefore, our international relations have a solid foundation. While small changes may occur depending on circumstances, we have shared interests. These relations are regulated based on the laws and principles approved by the people of Afghanistan and the National Assembly.

Regional and Islamic Cooperation

The image we present of Afghanistan to the region is that of a center for cooperation and coordination. The greatest threat to the region is terrorism; therefore, a stable Afghanistan is essential for regional stability. This must be understood by all regional countries.

I also appreciate and thank the recent actions of the Islamic world regarding peace and stability in Afghanistan. In past centuries, Afghanistan was an important center of Islamic civilization, and our beloved country will once again become a center of the Islamic world. But this country belongs to us, and no one else but Afghans can lead it toward progress and development.

When 100,000 foreign troops left Afghanistan, we saw it as an opportunity and began serious reforms in the defense and security sectors. We knew that protecting the land and the people is the responsibility of our own forces. From the bottom of my heart, I thank the security and defense forces for their sacrifices and bravery.

Proving the Analysts Wrong

Some analysts thought that with the reduction or complete withdrawal of NATO forces, political groups would turn into military factions and, like in the 1990s, would reach out to foreign countries for weapons and money to destroy the country. The brave armed forces of this country proved those calculations wrong. We now have the opportunity and capacity for our forces to defend our soil bravely and independently. We remain assured of full international support, and these relations will be strengthened based on mutual interests.

New Appointments: Khalid and Saleh

Achieving peace is a complex process, as we saw in the Abu Dhabi meetings. Despite these complexities and the difficult path ahead, we continue to strive for our goal.

Mr. Khalid and Mr. Saleh are young, experienced cadres of this system who possess a high national spirit. Despite expressing political differences, they have always cooperated with us on national issues. Both possess distinct leadership qualities and clear visions. Utilizing their intelligence and military experience in these sensitive conditions is a national necessity. We decided to use the energy and expertise of these two active cadres to advance the reform process within the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior.

While these two security agencies have distinct duties, they share the sacred common task of defending and protecting this homeland. The police have the vital duty of law enforcement and daily interaction with the people. Therefore, professionalizing the police and addressing their daily challenges is the fundamental task of the Ministry of Interior.

Our military operations must proceed in absolute coordination so that the Army remains mobile, the Police maintain stability, and National Security (NDS) analyzes and prevents threats. I thank Mr. Stanekzai and all colleagues at the NDS for their continuous hard work.

Elections and Professionalism

Afghanistan’s security and defense forces performed a historic feat during the parliamentary elections. My vision and intent are for the security and defense forces to remain professional, national, and non-political.

Securing the presidential elections and preventing interference is the national and Islamic duty of these forces. Mr. Khalid and Mr. Saleh will have the sacred duty of guaranteeing the freedom, national inclusivity, transparency, and security for the voters.

A Message of Sovereignty

Peace will come, God willing, and after peace, the responsibility of our security forces will only increase. Every Afghan who accepts peace must be assured that the security forces will defend their lives, property, and dignity professionally.

As yesterday’s tragedy proved, international terrorist groups will not leave us alone. We must understand that they have no rights over us; they are not Afghans, and they share no common bond or heritage with us.

We gave millions of martyrs to defeat Communism—martyrs of a sacred Jihad for the security of Afghanistan and the world. We will not allow anyone to misuse our sacred soil. Our national unity and the equality of all Afghans, as mandated by the Constitution, is our greatest asset. The national forces of Afghanistan are the guardians of this great value and our Islamic identity.

Conclusion

Mr. Khalid and Mr. Saleh, you assume this great responsibility at a very sensitive time. As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I assure you of every cooperation needed to ensure your success. I congratulate you on these new responsibilities and pray for your success. May you prove your leadership and competence in ensuring security and defending our people.

Yashasın Afghanistan! (Long live Afghanistan!)

Zhwandai de wi Afghanistan! (Long live Afghanistan!)

Zindabad Afghanistan! (Long live Afghanistan!)