Foreign Minister Stubb: Finland must support Afghanistan on road to peace

GUEST COLUMN

Alexander Stubb

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By Alexander Stubb
     
      There has been intense debate recently on Finland’s role in Afghanistan. Questions that have risen to the forefront include whether or not Finland is a party to the conflict, and when we might be able to leave the country. Debate is welcome, but more important than bickering over the meaning of words is to keep in mind why Finland is in Afghanistan, along with 41 other countries.
      The presence of the international community in Afghanistan is based on decisions of the UN. All 192 member states have given their backing to the effort in UN resolutions. Alongside the UN, many other organisations are operating in Afghanistan, such as NATO, the EU, the OSCE and the World Bank, as well as a number of national support programmes and civic organisations.
     
The most conspicuous player in Afghanistan is NATO, and the most important task of the ISAF operation that it leads is to help Afghan officials increase security there. The ISAF operation now includes 42 countries, and the strength of the force is about 65,000.
      The 202 soldiers of the reinforced Finnish section serve in a Swedish-led unit. There are 430 Swedish soldiers in the country. Finland is also heavily involved in the EU police mission. A total of more than 20 Finns are working in Afghanistan as experts of civilian crisis management.
     
The aim of the international community is to establish conditions under which Afghanistan can promote fundamental rights and democracy for its people, to stabilise the country’s political system and to develop its economy.
      In this work Afghanistan needs help now, and in the future. Finland is committed to the stabilisation of Afghanistan. This was the policy line of the previous government, and the present one, and is backed by the President and Parliament.
      The question is both one of participation in the construction of international peace and security, and of Finland’s own security. Instability and chaos in Afghanistan inevitably affect European security as well. Reducing terrorism, extremist movements, and the international drugs trade is in Finland’s interest.
     
Crisis management is a central part of supporting Afghanistan, and it should be continued until the Afghanis themselves can take responsibility for their own future. Training of the army and police are to be made more efficient as part of international support. Finland is strongly involved in this work.
      By shifting responsibility to Afghanistan’s own security officials, preconditions are created to allow the international crisis management forces to eventually leave the country.
      It is clear that crisis management operations in Afghanistan cannot be continued endlessly, nor is there any desire to do so. The presence there will remain only as long as is necessary. One must also be realistic: the Nordic model of democracy cannot be implanted in Afghanistan.
     
A sustained solution requires dialogue among the Afghanis which must be open to all groups renouncing armed activity, including those Taleban who have shunned violence.
      Alongside crisis management, reconstruction, development cooperation, and humanitarian aid are underscored in the work. The country needs schools, hospitals, highways, electricity distribution networks, and economic development. Further challenges are problems with the administrative and legal systems, the weak human rights situation, corruption, and the cultivation of drugs.
      The stabilisation of Afghanistan also requires a strengthening of the regional approach. Pakistan is in a key position, but also the other neighbours of Afghanistan must see the advantages of strengthening regional stability.
     
Afghanistan’s security situation is poor. It has weakened in all areas, including the area around the northern Mazar-i-Sharif, where the Finns operate.
      Finnish forces have been involved in several armed incidents within a short period of time. The deterioration of the security situation means that better preparations will have been made for such incidents.
      In the course of more than 50 years, nearly 50 Finns have died in peacekeeping operations. Most of the deaths occurred in situations that did not involve armed missions.
      The first tragic news from Afghanistan came in the spring of 2007 when Sergeant Petri Immonen was killed by a roadside bomb. Unfortunately, there can be bad news in the future as well.
      So Finnish forces have been in tight spots already before the deterioration of the situation, which took place in the summer. In February 2007 the Finns, together with the Norwegians, were involved in an intense firefight, defending the base at Maimana.
      Finnish peacekeepers confront dangerous situations in Afghanistan on a daily basis. Finns have reason to be proud of the actions and the skill of their peacekeepers.
     
The security situation is unlikely to get any better before the elections on August 20th, in which Afghanistan will elect a new president and new provincial councils.
      The Taleban, al-Qaeda, and other groups fighting the government of Afghanistan, as well as the drug barons, will try in any way possible to disrupt the elections.
      The goal of the groups is to destabilise the sowing of democracy in the fragile state, and to weaken the ability of the new administration to function.
      The aim of the elections is to give the Afghanis the possibility to take the future into their own hands - not with weapons, but rather with ballots. It is important, from the point of view of strengthening the structures of government and the acceptability of those in power, that as many as possible get to vote.
      No matter what the outcome in the ongoing war of words, it is clear that there is no military solution to the problems of Afghanistan. There is still much work to be done. However, military power is needed to control violence and to protect civilians.
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 12.8.2009
     
The writer is Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Defence Minister Häkämies addresses concerns of family members of Afghan peacekeepers (17.8.2009)
  Despite risks, no cancellations for crisis management duty in Afghanistan (6.8.2009)
  Finnish forces take fire again in Afghanistan (5.8.2009)
  Finnish peacekeepers engaged in yet another exchange of fire in Afghanistan (31.7.2009)
  New US strategy has Finland reconsidering goals in Afghanistan (6.2.2009)

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