Statement by Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Completion of disarmament phase of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Programme in Afghanistan

July 7, 2005
Japanese

On July 7, a ceremony commemorating the completion of disarmament phase of the DDR Programme for Afghanistan Military Forces was held in Kabul.
It is the first and great achievement in Afghanistan's security sector reform that, despite an extremely difficult situation, the DDR Programme has made progress resulting in the disarmament of about 60,000 former soldiers. As Japan has led the support of the international community together with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), it highly values the great efforts of those concerned in the Government of Afghanistan (Ministry of Defence, in particular), and of the United Nations and the Afghanistan's New Beginnings Program (ANBP).
Assistance to disarmed and demobilized soldiers for their reintegration will continue till June 2006. As many weapons still remain in the country, it is an important challenge to disband illegal armed groups. Therefore, the support of the international community for the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan is indispensable and Japan itself will continue to extend all possible support.

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