Press Releases
Meeting Between Mr. Nobuo Kishi, Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Mr. Ershad Ahmadi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
May 16, 2014
On May 16, commencing at 10:00 a.m. for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. Nobuo Kishi, Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs met with Mr. Ershad Ahmadi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, who is visiting Japan, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- Opening remarks
Senior Vice-Minister Kishi welcomed Deputy Minister Ahmadi’s visit to Japan in order to attend a meeting of the International Contact Group (ICG) on Afghanistan and Pakistan, and stated that he was pleased to have a meaningful debate on the future direction of Afghanistan at the ICG meeting on May 15. - Expression of sympathy over damage caused by heavy rain
Senior Vice-Minister Kishi expressed sympathy over the large-scale flash flooding and landslide damage that occurred in northern Afghanistan as a result of heavy rain from late April. He also explained that the Government of Japan provided 11 million yen of emergency aid supplies for the landslide damage in Badakhshan province. In response, Deputy Minister Ahmadi expressed gratitude for Japan’s emergency aid and for its overall support to Afghanistan. - Presidential election
- Senior Vice-Minister Kishi welcomed the fact that the first round of voting in the presidential election was carried out without major unrest, and said it is important for the Government of Afghanistan to exert the utmost effort, including maintaining public safety, toward the final round of voting, so that Afghanistan’s first democratic change of government proceeds smoothly.
- In response, Deputy Minister Ahmadi said a large number of citizens voted in the first round, which demonstrates Afghanistan’s resolve to achieve peace and stability. He also said he is confident the election process towards the final round in June and the announcement of the final results in July will be carried out successfully.
- Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework (TMAF)
- Senior Vice-Minister Kishi said that it is necessary to continue with the follow-up mechanism for the TMAF established at the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan in July 2012 even while the election process is being followed, and that he requested the Government of Afghanistan to continue its efforts in areas such as anti-corruption.
- In response, Deputy Minister Ahmadi acknowledged that the TMAF is an important framework relating to the partnership between the Government of Afghanistan and the international community, and said Afghanistan’s current government is deeply committed to the TMAF. Deputy Minister Ahmadi also said he is confident the new administration formed in the future will also be conscious of the importance of the TMAF and will continue to work on its implementation.