By Martin Banks - 15th December 2008
“We need more troops to patrol the border to tackle this problem and this is where I believe the EU has a crucial role to play”
Sayed Fazlullah Wahidi
A top envoy from Afghanistan has urged the EU to provide more financial and military support for his war-torn state.
Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Sayed Fazlullah Wahidi said the EU had a ‘crucial’ role to play in facilitating stability in Afghanistan.
Wahidi, governor of Kunar province, is one of a small group of leading officials from Afghanistan in Brussels this week for a series of high-level meetings.
He praised the US for its support in combating terrorism in the country but said more assistance was needed from the EU, particularly troops to patrol its borders with Pakistan.
Pakistan has been accused of not doing enough to prevent cross-border operations by Taliban insurgents. In recent weeks Nato convoys and their supply depots have been attacked within Pakistan itself.
Wahidi, a keynote speaker at an event organised by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, told this website, “My province has a 240km border with Pakistan and we in particular have a major problem of infiltration across the border by the Taliban.
“We need more troops to patrol the border to tackle this problem and this is where I believe the EU has a crucial role to play.”
The EU is currently engaged in a number of peacekeeping or civilian operations around the world, including Afghanistan.
But the issue of EU involvement in Congo has highlighted the problem of getting the bloc’s 27 member states to mobilise forces for EU missions while at the same time being asked to boost their contributions to Nato operations around the world.
The EU already had two battle groups consisting of 1,500 men, one led by Britain, the other by Germany. Political obstacles have so far prevented their deployment.
Wahidi, who was addressing representatives of member states, EU institutions, think tanks and journalists, wants to involve more Afghans in work to stabilise the country, where 70,000 foreign troops under Nato and US command are battling the resurgent Taliban and other extremist forces.
Since a US-led coalition helped Afghan opposition troops overthrow the Taliban regime in 2001, the country has fallen back into the guerrilla conflict that so marred its recent history.
Wahidi said, “During our meetings with officials from Nato and other institutions this week we will be pressing the case for more support from the EU in restoring stability in our country.
“Partly due to good governance the security situation is actually improving. But in terms of rehabilitation and development we need more.
“Specifically, we need to train more police and our national army and also need more border patrols.”
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