Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon statement on Afghanistan political agreement

The Minister for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

I welcome the agreement between Afghan leaders on forming an inclusive government.

A strong and unified government is vital at this critical time for Afghanistan. There is a real opportunity to end decades of conflict – the devastating impact of which has been brought into focus by recent attacks – and a need to slow the spread of Covid-19 throughout the country. As ever, the UK is ready to support the Government of Afghanistan as they face these challenges.

The Afghan people expect their leaders to follow through on their commitments and to continue to adhere to the principles of good governance, rule of law, human rights and justice. For the benefit of all Afghans, I urge Afghanistan’s leaders to build upon this agreement, set aside their differences and work together constructively to tackle the challenges facing the country.