UN Pledges Continued Support to Afghanistan for Next Five Years

The United Nations has reaffirmed its commitment to assisting Afghanistan in its post-conflict reconstruction efforts, with UN Peacekeeping Operations head Jean-Marie Guehenno stating that the organization will continue its work in the country for the next five years. This announcement comes as the Afghan government and international coalition forces are making progress in establishing security and governance, but still require support in areas such as development and central power. Meanwhile, the US has announced plans to reduce its troop presence in Afghanistan from 19,000 to 16,000 by next spring, with the anticipated reduction to be offset by an increase in ISAF troops.

Key Takeaways:

The UN has pledged to continue its work in Afghanistan for the next five years, with a focus on security, governance, and development.
The organization will work closely with the Afghan government to strengthen central power and continue reconstruction efforts.
The US will reduce its troop presence in Afghanistan from 19,000 to 16,000 by next spring, with the reduction to be offset by an increase in ISAF troops.
ISAF forces are expected to increase from 9,000 to 15,000 next year.
The Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police are making progress but still require international support.
The international coalition has done a "remarkable job" in supporting Afghanistan's transition to peace and democracy.
The UN's three key pillars for support are security, governance, and development.

Statistics:

19,000: Current number of US troops in Afghanistan
9,000: Current number of ISAF forces in Afghanistan
16,000: Planned reduction in US troops in Afghanistan by next spring
15,000: Anticipated increase in ISAF troops in Afghanistan next year
5 years: UN's planned commitment to supporting Afghanistan
2001: The starting point for UN support in Afghanistan, at which time the situation was "very low"

Sources:

"KABUL, Dec 20, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX)" (Xinhua)