H.E. Rudiger Konig and Dr. Davood Moradian at the AISS Lecture Series on bilateral relations between Germany and Afghanistan

Thursday, August 01, 2013

The Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) hosted H.E. Rudiger Konig, the German Ambassador in Kabul, as part of the ‘High Tea With Ambassador’ lecture series.

The Ambassador underlined the convergence of mutual interests in cultural, political, and economic areas between the two countries. Citing the extra ordinary development in Afghanistan within the past decade, Mr. Konig further said that Germany will cooperate with Afghanistan in future.

Members of Afghan government, parliament, civil society, and Afghan media attended the event.

Mr. Konig further promised Germany’s uninterrupted cooperation with Afghanistan that will be defined under the umbrella of overall EU policy on Afghanistan after the planned 2014 withdrawal of the international forces.

Germany will cooperate with Afghanistan in the areas of women’s rights, facilitating a mechanism for growth of Afghan exports to the EU, and technical capacity building the ambassador pledged.

Mr. Konig further claimed that peace and stability is the natural interest of the both countries as members of the international community. Towards this end Germany will collaborate with Afghanistan for facilitation of a free and fair election in 2014. Germany will not however involve itself with non-technical aspects of the next year’s presidential election as that should be Afghan led according to the ambassador.

The event ended with a cordial Q & A period where Mr. Konig answered the questions of participants.