Urban Unity and Governance: Citizen Participation, Property Rights, and Inclusive Development

(Speech at meeting on exchange of ideas and solidarity among city councils - ARG )

Keypoints:

• Citizen Empowerment: People’s active role in governance.
• Property Rights: Secure land and asset ownership.
• Urban-Community Integration: Connecting cities and villages.
• Local Governance: Strong mayors and councils with clear authority.
• Transparency: Citizens monitor and guide government.
• Women’s Role: Essential participation in governance.
• Urban Planning: Safe, strategic, culturally aligned cities.
• Economic Opportunities: Local production and jobs.
• Social Solidarity: Mutual support in communities.
• Peace & Security: Stability through citizen engagement.

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

Distinguished citizens, dear compatriots, honorable members of the Cabinet, foreign guests, sisters and brothers: Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.

First, welcome to your own home—the Arg! Thank you for allowing me to live here temporarily for a few days. In a democratic system, the "will of the people" is the principle; the government’s sole duty is to serve. The culture of force, the abuse of position, and the culture of non-commitment and lack of accountability have no place in a democracy. Therefore, I thank you. One of our compatriots gave me the best message today; they said, "We do not regret our vote." Thank you.

My remarks today are divided into five sections:

1: Expressions of Gratitude

First, I thank you, my dear sisters and brothers. As citizens of Afghanistan, by taking an active role and cooperating, you have shown that "drop by drop, a river is formed." Your resolve shows that Afghanistan is moving toward unity, empathy, and alignment.

Second, I thank the facilitators, specifically Engineer Habib Rahimi and Najib Amiri. We began this journey in the early months after the Interim Government was established. At that time, Bagh-e Bala had neither electricity nor heating. We first laid the foundation for "National Solidarity" (NSP) and then the foundation for how to include urban citizens. In this regard, I also thank the facilitators from UN-Habitat.

Third, I thank the Government of Japan, a very dear partner to the people of Afghanistan in both our difficult and good days, and specifically those who funded this program.

Fourth, I thank the Ministry of Urban Development, the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), and especially our Mayors—those of Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank our very dear sister, Sakena Yacoobi [1]. On behalf of all the children of Afghanistan, I thank her for her continuous efforts and for building model schools. I congratulate not only her but also her colleagues, the women of Afghanistan, and the people of Afghanistan on the prestigious award she recently received.

2: Vision and Direction

The first point is that this country belongs to its citizens. No one gifted Afghanistan to the Afghans. We earned it with our blood, we have protected it with our blood, and we will protect it forever. It is necessary to emphasize: who are the "citizens"? They are the barefoot Afghans! Those who did not know where tomorrow’s meal would come from, yet they have continuously preserved this land. The citizens are the women of Afghanistan who have always bravely protected their soil; they are the religious scholars and the elders. It is duty-bound upon us to value the citizen, and valuing the citizen means having a clear compact to serve them and listen to their views.

I have always said that all Afghan people hold a "Doctorate in Politics." Therefore, no one can lie to or deceive the Afghan people. They possess very sensible judgment. We must understand the pulse of the people because the social conscience in Afghanistan is always strong. At this stage of history, by the grace of Allah, the people are more aware than the state. Our role is not to claim we are "intellectuals" bringing light to the people—no! Sisters and brothers, the people give us direction. We must ensure that the direction of the state is the direction of the people.

Property Rights and Ownership: Today, due to various mistakes, the people of Afghanistan do not feel they truly "own" their small plots of land. It is a shame for us that 70% of our properties are undocumented or customary (non-legal). If you want to respect the Afghan nation, people’s property must be legal, secure, and immune to seizure (ghasb) in every corner of the country. This is our goal. Someone who feels secure in their home makes the country secure.

Therefore, the IDLG and the Ministry of Urban Development must focus on legalizing properties and creating a sense of ownership, especially for three groups that are the numerical majority but have been political and economic minorities: women, youth, and the poor. Under this government, these three groups must fundamentally become the owners of this state and the true owners of this land.

The "Stone Soup" Concept: I will share a French story called "Stone Soup." Three hungry soldiers entered a village where the people had hidden their food. The soldiers told the villagers they knew how to make "Stone Soup." They asked for a large pot of water and a fire, and dropped in three stones. Then they said, "If we had a little salt, it would be delicious." Eventually, meat and vegetables were added by the villagers themselves, and they ended up giving themselves a great feast.

The Urban Infrastructure and Urban Solidarity programs are "Stone Soup." If each of us helps someone, our lives change fundamentally. When people gather together—what we used to call "unity" and now call "social capital"—we can accomplish anything.

3: Participation, Stability, and Urban Identity

Why are our cities insecure? Because we did not secure the participation of the people in security. Today’s lesson is that the people and security forces must work side-by-side with our councils. People know their own streets best. I spent the first five years of my life in the Old City of Kabul. Every neighbor knew the others; no outsider could enter unnoticed because there was a social pulse.

We are not strangers to one another; we are kin. We are in the same boat. Can any Afghan live with dignity outside of this country? Is the door of any other nation open to us today? No. We will either build this country or we will die in it.

Where there is no urban development, people define their property as just the "four walls of their house." They clean their house and throw the trash into the street, not caring about the flies and diseases it causes. But where these programs are effective, people define their property as the "neighborhood" (gozar) or the "district." The very definition of ownership changes.

Our direction is clear: we have both "national will" and "political will." National will is to bring Afghanistan to stability, prosperity, and peace at any cost. Political will is to make the state a tool for service. If 16 hours of work is not enough, we will make it 18. Let us forget the culture of negligence; we will have plenty of time to rest when we are under the earth. Now is the time for work.

The Role of Women: When we were building the National Solidarity Program, international partners told me not to create women’s councils, saying Afghanistan wasn't ready. My answer was simple: "If you had met my grandmother, you wouldn't dare say that." Afghan women are peerless in management.

Is it not the Afghan woman who fairly divides a small amount of bread? Is it not the Afghan woman who faces problems without bowing her head and ensures her children reach school? Thank you, sisters! Remember that the first person to believe in Islam was a woman—Bibi Khadija, perhaps the greatest trader of her time. Without Bibi Aisha, a large portion of authentic Hadiths would not exist today. What is passed off today as "tradition" (restricting women) has no place in Islam. Women’s roles must be central in all urban programs.

Connecting City and Countryside: A fundamental problem today is that cities consume everything and import from abroad. Historically, the countryside fed the city, and the city provided services to the countryside. We must reconnect them. We have billions of dollars in imports. This means Afghans have money, but that money is not becoming a tool for the country's prosperity. I specifically ask our sisters: prefer domestic products. I changed the law so that 15% of government procurement must be domestic products.

4: The Program and Roadmap

What do we intend to do?

1. Urban Solidarity: This will be implemented as a nationwide program across all of Afghanistan.

2. Legalizing Property: This is fundamental to preventing land grabbing (ghasb).

3. Urban Planning: The failure to have maps and plans in the past was a failure of the state, not the citizens. Planning must now be done through consultation, especially with municipalities.

4. Affordable Housing: A major goal is providing housing for our brave security forces and, at the top of the list, the families of our martyrs who protected this land with their blood.

5. Islamic Architecture: We must revive Islamic engineering and architecture. Do not replace everything with "concrete." Our historical culture must be reflected in our urban centers. Look at the Chahar-Su of Herat or the Chahar-Chatta of Kabul [2]. We had a great culture of masonry and engineering.

The Roadmap for Action:

• Appointing Mayors: All mayors will now be appointed based on their "plans" and merit, not personal connections. I have created a Deputy Ministry for Municipalities within the IDLG, and Mr. Baqi Popal has been appointed as the Deputy Minister.

• Devolution of Authority: We are preparing to give mayors clear, trial authorities for one year—such as the power to hire professional staff—before turning these into law.

• Municipal Loan Fund: We are creating a loan fund for municipalities. No one works well with "free money." We will provide funds based on results and competition.

• Fighting Land Grabbing: I have instructed all governors and officials that grabbed land will be returned. The criteria for evaluating a governor or police chief is their success in preventing land grabbing and reclaiming stolen land.

• Simplifying Management: We must end the culture where a citizen has to run for weeks just to get an ID card (tazkira). I have sent secret delegations to various offices; their findings are shocking. Every municipality will be reviewed by its citizens every three months.

5: The Citizen’s Covenant

I have monthly video conferences with governors; I pledge to have them every three months with mayors. We need to build a network of mayors to lay the foundation for elected mayors in the future.

• Youth and Women: I am relying on you young people. Prove yourselves to the people so they will vote for you in the future. Women’s councils must be at the forefront of solving local issues.

• Sports and Health: Our programs must emphasize sports. Sports play a vital role in national pride and in fighting the shame of addiction.

• Domestic Production: Mayors must look at the "value chain"—supporting cold storage and markets for local produce to create jobs.

• Peace: Peace must be made "popular." Anyone who destroys should be identified by the people. Peace is not something I can do alone. Without the nation, the President is not a leader. I am President because of you. Give me your hand so we can bring a dignified, sustainable peace based on our Constitution and Islamic values.

Final Accountability: The 35% community contribution in projects is not just a fee; it is a sense of ownership. In Jalalabad, people sold their jewelry to fund local work. In other places, they gathered used asphalt from elsewhere to pave their streets. Since the people have done their part, we must be accountable. Every government contract must be posted on the door of every municipality so the people can see exactly what is happening.

The "intellect" of the world is not just in Kabul; it is in the heads of all Afghan citizens. This meeting today was full of hope. Its message is one of stability, respect, and mutual commitment.

Long live Afghanistan! May Afghanistan be eternal!

End Notes:

1. Sakena Yacoobi: Founder and Director of the "Afghan Institute of Learning" (AIL). She has won several international awards for educational services. The President refers here to her 2015 "WISE Prize" for Education.

2. Chahar-Su (Herat): An ancient market in the heart of Herat city, featuring historic shops and caravanserais. Chahar-Chatta (Kabul): A historic monument/market in Kabul's "Chawk" area built by Ali Mardan Khan, famous for its intricate wood and mirror work. It was destroyed during the wars.