Afghan-Led Peace, National Sovereignty, and the End of Prolonged Conflict

 An address to the nation on Afghan-led peace, national unity, and ending the ongoing conflict

Keypoints: 

• Peace priority: Peace is the urgent and shared goal of all Afghans.
• Afghan-led process: Peace must be owned and led by Afghans themselves.
• Cautious approach: Peace must be wise and avoid repeating past mistakes.
• Learning history: Past failures should guide current peace efforts.
• Human cost: War brings suffering, death, and displacement to Afghans.
• Reject violence: Afghan society rejects ongoing war and terrorism.
• Sovereignty unity: National unity and sovereignty are non-negotiable values.
• Strong state: A strong state is essential for peace and stability.
• Foreign presence: International forces are temporary and necessity-based.
• Taliban message: Taliban must choose peace or continued isolation.

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

Dear compatriots, respected sisters and brothers!

We seek to create an opportunity for peace, which is the desire of all Afghans. This is the aspiration for which our people have been waiting impatiently. We have the intention and the firm resolve to open the closed doors of peace. The efforts of the United States of America in the area of peace are part of our peace program, which remains under the ownership and umbrella of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

We want peace soon; we want it with speed, but we want it with wisdom and prudence. Prudence is vital so that previous mistakes are not repeated. The error made during the time of Martyr Daoud Khan was that the government was unaware of regional politics, and as a result of that ignorance, the tragedy of the April 27th (Saur) coup occurred. This mistake must not be repeated.

Learning from History

My fellow citizens! We emphasize prudence because we have full knowledge of the experience during the time of Dr. Najibullah. We all know how he was deceived. The United Nations had given him guarantees for the attainment of peace, but unfortunately, it ended in tragedy.

As the responsible and elected leader of 35 million Afghans, I am aware of the current role of the region and the world, and I also know the potential risks and threats that follow a peace agreement. Every Afghan wants peace; based on this demand of the people, I have worked from the first day of my government until today to fulfill this sacred goal of the nation. We must not forget that the victims of war are Afghans; therefore, the initiative for peace must also be in the hands of Afghans.

The Human Cost of Conflict

In the ongoing war, Afghans are killed in both aerial strikes and ground battles. It is unacceptable to any Afghan that painful incidents like those in Sangin are repeated again and again. It is unacceptable for any Afghan that their youth become "fodder" for war or live wandering and without a destiny in foreign countries.

No Afghan wants war, poverty, and misery to be associated with the name of their country, and no Afghan wants foreign forces to be stationed in their country for the long term. No Afghan wants to encounter a suicide bomber in a hospital, a school, a mosque, or a park. We have a firm resolve to change this dark chapter of history—the forty-year war—and open a new chapter of reconciliation, reconstruction, progress, and a self-reliant Afghanistan.

Initiatives for Peace and Sovereignty

Sisters and brothers! Last year in the month of Hamal, we presented a plan to the U.S. government regarding the isolation of certain countries and attracting the assistance of others. We see the positive results of this plan every day. From the isolation of state sponsors of terrorism to the ceasefire, and the presentation of a peace plan to the nation—these are all initiatives and actions taken by the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan that are unprecedented in the effort to end this forty-year crisis.

The presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan is based on a bilateral and international decision. No Afghan wants foreign forces on their soil for the long term, but the current presence is based on a necessity. This necessity is constantly reviewed regarding how many foreign troops are required, and we are striving to bring that number down to zero based on a structured plan.

Non-Negotiable Values

We have a clear plan and strategy for establishing lasting peace. My commitment is to ensure peace and prevent any potential tragedy or collapse. However, there are values that are non-negotiable: national unity, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, a strong and effective central government, and the fundamental rights of the citizens of the country.

The most fundamental principle for us—undeniable and uncompromising—is the national interest of our dear country. Our relations with all international and regional partners are established based on this principle.

We believe that as the peace process is implemented, the role of our heroic security and defense forces in safeguarding peace and security will become even more significant. Our brave forces will focus more on providing aid to victims of natural disasters. Our commitment to peace is sincere and pure. Just as our efforts to secure peace continue, our development programs are also designed to lead to prosperity and progress in the medium term, God willing. Only a strong and effective state can truly guarantee the dignity of every Afghan, and the great Afghan nation has a firm consensus on this principle.

A Message to the Taliban

I want to say clearly that if it were not for the ongoing war by the Taliban, the lives of millions of Afghans would be comfortable and we would have implemented our national development projects. Therefore, the Taliban have two choices: either they join the great Afghan nation with one voice, or they remain a tool for implementing the objectives of foreigners. Violence and the continuation of war by the Taliban prevent the formation of a strong state, which is exactly what Afghanistan’s foreign enemies desire.

I call upon the Taliban to exit the malicious plans of foreigners, demonstrate their Afghan will, respond to the demands of the Afghan people, and begin serious negotiations with the government.

Yashasın Afghanistan!

Long live Afghanistan!

Long live Afghanistan!