Donor nations committed long-term cooperation with Afghanistan

German defense minister in Kabul declared that NATO country members, particularly Germany in Berlin summit committed to have long-term cooperation with Afghanistan in military and financial sectors.

“We want to send a strong signal of reliability to the Afghan people that we are standing by their side,” von der Leyen said following her meeting with Afghan acting minister.

Germany’s Bundeswehr currently heads a mission made up of 20 countries to train and advise local security forces in northern Afghanistan. About half of the 1,500 foreign troops stationed at the Mazar-i-Sharif base come from Germany, while other big contingents are from Georgia, Mongolia, the Netherlands and Hungary.

In the meantime, the acting defense minister emphasized that After NATO country members summit, the commitments of donor countries are being implemented.

“Commitments to Afghanistan are all clear, specially US and international community commitments,” said Masoum Istanikzai, acting defense minister.

The NATO allies decided to hold alliance troop levels in Afghanistan steady at about 12,000 next year and launched a campaign to fund the 350,000 Afghan forces it hopes can someday secure the country against Taliban militants.