National Unity Through Community-Led Development: From Solidarity to Sustainable Peace and Prosperity

(Address to the 5th National Consultative Conference of Community Development Councils (CDCs))

Keypoints: 

• National Unity: Reinforce a single, indivisible identity and collective duty.
• Community Empowerment: Elevate CDCs as primary partners in state accountability.
• Citizens’ Charter: Standardize equitable service delivery across rural and urban zones.
• Post-Disaster Reconstruction: Direct community-led rebuilding of vital infrastructure.
• Rural Development: Regulate water and irrigation to achieve agricultural self-sufficiency.
• Economic Opportunity: Mitigate poverty through job creation and seasonal employment.
• Resource Management: Transform land and water into sustainable national capital.
• Security & Stability: Defend sovereignty and isolate violence through social cohesion.

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

Honorable Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive of the National Unity Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; esteemed members of the Cabinet; guests of the diplomatic corps; honorable members of the Provincial Councils of Afghanistan; sisters and brothers: Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings!

Welcome to your own home! May Allah (ﷻ) always protect you!

My talk consists of several sections. First: Gratitude. Thank you for the fact that today, the Provincial Councils of Afghanistan reflect the national unity of Afghanistan in its complete form, and say with one resonant voice that we are one nation—indivisible and united. Thank you for your faith in the National Unity Government. Thank you for making us mindful of our worldly and spiritual (hereafter) responsibilities. This government is accountable and gives thanks whenever our honorable people remind us of our duty.

Thank you for demonstrating that a hypothesis—one that Dr. Abdullah and I proposed during the Transitional Government, which most people thought was not feasible—is indeed practical: the "National Solidarity" program.

When we raised this program at that time, people said that in no part of the world is such a program possible with the scale and speed you desire. Our foreign friends said that Afghan women could not participate and that there would be sensitivities against them. Our answer was that our women have learned from our grandmothers; they can always participate. They asked how the people would give an account of the money placed at the disposal of the councils. Contrary to all these hypotheses, the great nation of Afghanistan, by the grace of Allah (ﷻ), proved that doubt regarding the capacity of the Afghan people at the village level must be wiped away.

Thank you for your self-confidence and for your trust in the State!

I specifically consider the warm presence of our sisters and the equal participation of our sisters and brothers as a very large step and a source of hope for the future of Afghanistan. The participation of our sisters is based on the commands and rulings of the holy religion of Islam and based on our best customs and traditions. The Afghan woman is a believer in the rulings and etiquette of the holy religion of Islam and national ethics, and she performs her national role alongside her brother.

I want to congratulate you. First, the image of the village that was presented here today was truly the image of all Afghanistan. When Dr. Safi pointed out the problems, it meant he was reflecting the pain of all the villages of Afghanistan. The entire hope, promise, and daily work of this government is that the voices of our villagers do not get blocked. Our villagers must be able to think about the future with honor and respect and preserve this nation together.

I thank you for giving such clear and analytical definitions to these pains. We have no need for foreign analysis or universities—with all due respect to them. Because today, I am grateful that our villagers can analyze all the major issues. You understand what you want, you know what you want from the government, and the government promises that what you want is what the government also wants. The pains and sorrows are many. There are bitter memories. But today, I congratulate you that instead of defining bitter memories, you laid a foundation for the future and provided guidance on how this homeland will become one, united, and how all your hopes will—Inshallah—be fulfilled together.

Pillar One: The Earthquake and Reconstruction

The first issue I want to focus on from a policy perspective is solidarity in the earthquake. First, I pray for the pure souls of all our compatriots who lost their sweet lives in this earthquake, and I ask Allah (ﷻ) for the highest paradise for them. But second, for those who were affected, I want to declare that following the implementation of the articles of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan regarding the preservation of private and public property, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan considers itself obligated to assist in the repair and reconstruction of residential houses, schools, and mosques that were destroyed or "martyred" in the earthquake of October 26, 2015, considering the current situation of the country and to the extent of its ability, based on a specific and transparent mechanism.

So far, 10,246 residential houses, 12 schools, and 17 mosques have been destroyed; the survey continues. The request of the government to the National Solidarity Councils is to identify the places for the reconstruction of housing so that through you, Mr. Barmak—who holds the responsibility for the Disaster Committee and is the Minister of State for Disaster Management—action can be taken so we can deliver aid transparently to the victims. We do not want a third person to stand between the most deprived strata and the state. We have trust in our people and we deliver the resources to the people.

And this will be a test of those promises and words that you wrote there in detail. I heard, and we heard, and we were all happy that we all want transparency and responsibility. Especially in this part: that those individuals and families who are very poor must take a very large part in this program, and it is hoped that this large part is secured.

Pillar Two: The Village and the Citizen's Charter

The second topic I focus on is the village (Qarya). You and I are all from the village. My wish is that after finishing here, I go to my village. Where is my village? All the villages of Afghanistan! Because until all the villages of Afghanistan are safe, I cannot live in a village.

For this reason, the National Unity Government has decided to convert the "National Solidarity" program into the "Citizen’s Charter" program. What does this mean? First, it means that National Solidarity continues permanently. Have no doubt or suspicion that in the government's programs, the funding of National Solidarity has priority. I speak on behalf of the Minister of Finance that funding exists in next year's budget. But what is the difference?

The goal is that all government programs at the village level be implemented through one clear means, which is National Solidarity. National Solidarity does not belong only to the Ministry of Rural Development; it belongs to the entire State and the nation of Afghanistan. Therefore, the Land Authority and the ministries of Agriculture, Energy, Education, Public Works, and Commerce will all work through one program. The reason is very simple. You are very busy people; if they tell you every day to come and form another council, you don’t have time for that. One council should have sub-committees, and these tasks should be done under the sub-committees.

Our goal is that in all villages of Afghanistan within the next 4 years, we can provide uniform services. We do not want to make promises that are in the sky and not practical. Therefore, the program for implementing it—like what you saw during the first National Solidarity—will be carried out with reflection, depth, and deep thought. But the point we assure you is that, like the first National Solidarity, all provinces of Afghanistan, especially the most deprived provinces, will be in the first row.

But this important goal cannot be achieved without your participation. In the statements you gave, you proved that you have the capacity for participation, the will for it, and the experience. This participation must increase. You mentioned a 10% financial share, and alongside that, you said you have used Ushr and Zakat and other means. The strength that lies in the harmony of the people exists nowhere else.

Therefore, it is hoped that today and tomorrow, during your discussions with Mr. Durrani and his colleagues, you think seriously about specific types of participation and accountability. Because in this section, without your active participation, resources cannot be used in the best way.

The demand of the Afghan nation is legitimate and comprehensive. The consensus is that transformation must be fast and all-encompassing, but our resources are limited. From this perspective, the effectiveness of using resources is a fundamental point. Because until there is effective and transparent use of resources, they are wasted. And now you yourself must decide which method is the most transparent. Decision-making must be linked to the greatest benefit for the largest segment of society.

In the section of contractors, we had a serious problem; therefore, the reform of the contracting system is at the top of our work. We had serious problems in the quality of infrastructure projects. My request regarding participation is that a clear balance of past problems be drawn very impartially, and we ask the honorable villages and representatives of the councils where they see the solutions, so that clear solutions exist and this must be agreed upon in writing so it is within the framework of accountability.

The absolute majority of councils will—Inshallah—do good work; but there is always the possibility of a mistake, and for the removal of mistakes, specific and clear mechanisms should exist.

Pillar Three: Connecting the City and the Countryside

Alongside one of the issues you emphasized is the connection between the "City" and the "Village." In the next few weeks, the National Solidarity program will change from a rural program to a truly nationwide program. Urban Solidarity will start simultaneously. Why Urban Solidarity? First, because we must secure the connection of city and village in terms of production and consumption of urban services in the village, and village products in the city.

You said that production and quality are not good and foreign products are coming in. Mr. Zamir told you that we import 4 billion dollars a year. Why? Because we have not established the connection between the city and the village.

Therefore, our first goal is that in the next four years, from the perspective of agriculture, we must become self-sufficient, and the path to that is comprehensive investment in the villages of Afghanistan. Mr. Safi, Fatima Jan, and their colleagues all said in their statements that resources exist but maximum use has not been made of them. Which resources did we not use?

First, we did not use our Water. We are the most generous country in the world because we give our water to others or turn it into floods that become the means of our destruction. It is necessary for our waters to be regulated and used. In the next ten years, every drop of our water will be worth as much as a drop of our neighbor's oil or even more. At the village level, what do we want? From the stream to the farm, 45% of the water currently wasted must be used.

Second, we do not use our Land correctly. Our problem is that after fourteen years of investment and all-round effort, the amount of land that was under cultivation during the time of the late Daoud Khan is still not under cultivation. That is, after fourteen years, Afghanistan has not been able to cultivate the amount of land that was cultivated then. In the next four years, we must not only complete this amount but it is hoped that we bring an additional 120,000 hectares of land under irrigation. Therefore, the use of our water and land is an essential use.

In this section, you mentioned that the usurpation of land, water, and streams is a problem. My request to Mr. Durrani and the Solidarity Councils is to identify the issue of usurpation in a clear and specific way so that we can take clear, specific, gradual, and rational actions in this area and be able to benefit more from these resources.

Pillar Four: Human Capital and Poverty

But what is our most important failure and the opportunity we have, which you described for us today? You said, with the graphs you had of your income and consumption, that in the winter months, most of our workers are unemployed and face the most severe problems—for three to six months, they have no work. This is a waste of human capital. Therefore, we received your message. Regarding job creation, in the next few weeks—Inshallah—we will present specific programs for you.

At the same time, the figures you gave were very clear. I always learn from you; for this reason, today was a source of great joy to sit politely and hear from you. Another lesson you explained today was: who has the possibility of eating three loaves of bread a day, who has two, and who has only one? At the same time, with great fortitude, you linked this to whose child can go to a faculty, whose child can finish the 12th grade, who the 6th grade, and whose child cannot reach school at all.

You made us mindful of our great responsibility again: that if we truly believe with a sincere heart that "no Afghan is less than another Afghan, and no Afghan is superior to another Afghan," then the removal of poverty and the creation of work is the main task of the National Unity Government. We take this task seriously. We will work on this message of yours fundamentally within our possibilities.

The good news is that as a result of our continuous efforts, the international community has renewed its pact and will not leave Afghanistan alone. I congratulate the entire National Unity Government and the people of Afghanistan on this success. But we have much work ahead, and it is necessary that we turn your message into specific programs.

Our promise to you is that just as we want solidarity and unity from you at the village level, we at the government level will be true representatives of unity, coordination, and cooperation. Our movement was good; it will become much faster and better. I don't want to talk much about the big programs, but for the child of a poor person who eats bread once a day to reach the position of the Presidency or national leadership in various scientific and cultural fields, there is a need for economic growth. All our budget and big programs must be focused on economic growth.

Where is the luck and the problem? The luck is that Afghanistan is a rich country whose majority of people are poor. Location, water, land, minerals—all of these are our national capital and wealth. So far, they have not been used correctly. Big programs are designed for this reason. Instead of being consumers of electricity, we will become producers of electricity; instead of being importers of food, we will be exporters; instead of our water being wasted and destroying our lives as floods, it will cause the production of water and electricity; instead of the quality of our education being poor, we will have high-quality education so that Afghans can find work everywhere.

Another point following what Mr. Popal said: the foundation of stability in Afghanistan is the "Village," and after that the "District," "Municipality," "Province," and "Central Government." These five sections must be in step and in harmony. One of your messages, especially from Daikundi—though this problem is not only in Daikundi—was that a large part of the districts of Afghanistan still does not have funding. The presence of the state is fundamentally ensured in the districts and provinces of Afghanistan.

Also, the issue of land is being moved forward by our Land Authority under Mr. Peykar. Inshallah, within the next five years, it will be established through space (satellite) studies. For the first time, we will truly have access to this information: how many houses there are in Afghanistan and we will have an approximate population count.

The Closing Call to Action

Finally, I come to the requests we have of you. This is so that "we and you" are not separate. As the saying goes: "If I say 'I am' and you say 'I am,' neither you nor I will be; but if I say 'you are' and you say 'you are,' both I and you will be." The system stands on you. Sheikh Saadi said the people are the root and the government is the tree. No matter how strong the tree is, if its root—God forbid—dries up, the system collapses. The stability of the Afghan system depends on the will of the people, especially the will of the people in the outskirts of Afghanistan.

So what is my request? My request is very simple. Anyone who raises a gun against the legitimate government of Afghanistan—expel them from the village. You want development and comfort with one voice, and these people who take guns in their hands want destruction; they want to kill us, they "martyr" mosques, they burn schools. These are misguided people. Look at the rulings of the holy religion of Islam; guide them and lead them to isolation. Therefore, Mr. Durrani, have a discussion with all the councils to take their views on ensuring security and their participation in it.

My request is that the National Army and the National Security belong to you, to us, and to our children. Not a single person in our security and defense apparatus came by force or compulsion; every one of them is a volunteer. Without your will, recruitment cannot take place. Cooperate from the level of the local police to the level of the Army and National Police. When we want the legitimate use of force, our children must participate. In this section, I want to express gratitude for the sacrifices of our security and defense forces. It is hoped that all the people of Afghanistan take pride in our security and force achievements.

Look, what is the enemy's plan? The enemy's plan was—God forbid—to divide the political geography of Afghanistan into two parts. We know we haven't been successful everywhere in ensuring security, but the big goal, which is preserving Afghan national sovereignty—in this, we have been successful and we are proud of it. We will never allow anyone to divide the political geography of Afghanistan into two. This is a single nation, a united nation, a powerful nation, and let no one doubt our will. But peace and stability are the necessity of Afghanistan.

The stability of Afghanistan is impossible without the stability of the village of Afghanistan; but the welfare of the village of Afghanistan depends on the share of our councils in creating an atmosphere of peace, trust, and stability. I express my gratitude for the efforts you made in the section of conflict resolution, and I thank you for your message which, against prejudice and any kind of discord, carries a specific message of unity.

But it is necessary that these messages become comprehensive. Dr. Abdullah shared with you to think: a government that has girded its loins day and night to defend the country is accused of being the cause of insecurity. This is the propaganda of our enemies and it is propaganda against the national spirit. For this reason, my request is that you, as true children of the nation, push aside such conspiracies with one voice. Afghanistan is not a place for "Nifaq" (discord); it is a place for "Etifaq" (unity), cooperation, and national unity.

In the end, I sincerely thank Mr. Durrani, the esteemed members of the Cabinet, all colleagues, and especially the ladies and gentlemen who have come to their home, the Arg, from various villages and provinces of Afghanistan. I thank the sisters again for their participation in the section of narcotics. The messages were clear. We are hopeful that together, in the coming year when we gather again, we will be able not only to have solved the problems inherited from the past but to believe in a bright future and move forward with honor and confidence.