Opening remarks
by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Resolute Support meeting at the level of Foreign Ministers
(As delivered)
Good afternoon and welcome to this meeting of NATO Allies and our partners on Afghanistan.
It is now almost a year since the security of Afghanistan has been fully in Afghan hands.
And since the start of our non-combat Resolute Support Mission that is providing essential training, advice and assistance to the Afghan security institutions and forces.
Afghan forces have faced difficult challenges.But they have shown tremendous courage and determination.
Today, we will decide on how we can support them in the future.
In military, financial, and political terms.
We will discuss how we continue our Resolute Support Mission during 2016.
There are commitments by the broader international community to fund the Afghan forces until 2017. Today, we will start discussing the funding for the years after that.
And we will look at how we can further strengthen our Enduring Partnership with Afghanistan.
Today, we will reaffirm our shared commitment to maintain and enhance security.
To promote peace, development, human rights and the rule of law in Afghanistan.
This has been a year of challenges but it has also been a year of progress. And we remain resolved to support Afghanistan moving forward.
That concludes my public opening remarks. I thank the representatives of the media for being with us for this part of our meeting.