-
Reset
+
President Ilves meets with the Governor of Helmand Province
11.11.2010
“The future of Afghanistan is not depending solely on improving the security situation and political reconciliation, but also on economic development in both the country as a whole and in every single province,” said the President, Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, today, at a meeting with Mr. Gulab Mangal, the Governor of Helmand province.
Mr. Mangal, one of the most influential provincial governors in Afghanistan, acknowledged Estonia’s contribution to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, recalling the service of the Estonian Defence Force members in Helmand and Estonia’s assistance in the co-ordination of a health care system in the area.
President Ilves described as hopeful the gradual increase of the area under the control of the Afghan security forces and NATO units, and he also mentioned that the production of drugs has significantly dropped there. According to the Estonian Head of State, it’s imperative to find some alternative sources of sustenance for farmers who have been involved in poppy cultivation until now.
“However, patience, commitment, considering local needs, and better and closer co-ordination between the efforts of international contributors remain the key words for all of the stakeholders interested in a successful Afghanistan,” the Estonian Head of State assured. “Let’s not talk of deadlines – when something could happen – let us act, with determination, to make Afghanistan a country that is absolutely safe for both its own people and the rest of the world.”
The Governor of the Helmand province, Mr. Gulab Mangal, who was invited to visit Estonia by President Ilves a month ago after they met in Lashkar Gah in the centre of the Helmand province, took part in the “Women, Peace and Security – the Afghan View” in Tallinn, and he also met with politicians from the Estonian Parliament, including Mr. Urmas Paet, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Riho Terras. He also familiarised himself with the work of a number of health care institutions.
Office of the President
Public Relations Department
Phone +372 631 6229
