Discussion Session with Ettore Francesco Sequi

The first Munich Young Leaders Round Table discussion session was devoted to current developments in Afghanistan. Ettore Sequi, the EU Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, described 2010 as a make-or-break year for Afghanistan. There were two central challenges. On the one hand there was the need to improve the country’s security situation and the state of the economy. On the other hand there was the task of ensuring ongoing international support in view of the difficult national policy debates in the more than 40 states which support the international stabilization mission. The recent London conference had emphasized at the right point in time that the international community and the Afghan government wished to make a joint effort to pool their visions, resources and political will. Here the EU in conjunction with its partners can play a central role on account of its specific expertise in the civil and military sphere and with regard to economic reconstruction. In the area of regional cooperation and integration the European Union can also provide valuable support in a part of the world that is central to our security.

This report was written by Munich Young Leader Sebastian Groth, Policy Planning Staff, Federal Foreign Office, Berlin.

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