    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [January 28, 2002]
    [Pages 127-129]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Joint Statement by President George W. Bush and Chairman Hamid
    Karzai on a New Partnership Between the United
    States and Afghanistan
    January 28, 2002

        President Bush and Chairman Karzai commit to build a lasting
    partnership for the 21st century, determined to fight terrorism, and
    ensure security, stability and reconstruction for Afghanistan, and
    foster representative and accountable government for all Afghan women
    and men. We stand together for a new and better future for Afghanistan--
    a future free from terror, war, and want. We pledge our respect for the
    culture and traditions of the different peoples of Afghanistan, and for
    the great religion of Islam, which has been tragically distorted and
    misused by the Taliban.
        We reaffirm our commitment to continue to work together to rout out
    the remnants of the Taliban and Al Qaida network. The United States and
    Afghanistan stand united in our determination that Afghanistan will
    never again become a training ground for global terror. We are equally
    determined that Afghanistan's tragic experience--where terrorists were
    allowed to hold an entire nation hostage--will not be repeated or
    replicated anywhere in the world.
        The United States and Afghanistan share the belief that a secure,
    stable Afghanistan, at peace with its neighbors, is critical to
    achieving our shared goals. We agree that a lasting, permanent solution
    for Afghanistan's security needs must be based on strengthening
    Afghanistan's own capacities.
        We agree that the United States will work with Afghanistan's friends
    in the international community to help Afghanistan stand up and train a
    national military and police, as well as address Afghanistan's short-
    term security needs, including through demining assistance. We further
    agree to continue to support the mission of the International Security
    Assistance Force (ISAF) to help promote security in Afghanistan.
    Chairman Karzai asked President Bush, on behalf of the Afghan people to
    consider supporting an extension and expansion of the ISAF.
        Recognizing that representative and accountable national government
    is vital for Afghanistan to achieve stability, national reconciliation,
    and reconstruction, we reaffirm our shared determination to support the
    Bonn Agreement for a political transition process in Afghanistan over
    the next two years. Both sides recognize the importance of adhering
    strictly to the agreement's timetable.
        We agree to support collaborative programs to strengthen Afghan
    civic institutions, working through Afghan and American NGOs to build
    and strengthen political

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    structures, independent media, human rights protections, labor unions,
    accountability and anti-corruption initiatives.
        We also agree to launch a joint U.S.-Afghanistan Women's Council to
    promote private/public partnerships and mobilize resources to ensure
    women can gain the skills and education deprived them under years of
    Taliban mis-rule.
        The United States and Afghanistan further agree that the Voice of
    America will expand its broadcast of Afghan news throughout Afghanistan
    as VOA and international partners work with Afghanistan to develop its
    own media capacity.
        We both welcome the role of the United States in helping with
    Afghanistan's reconstruction, including the initial American
    contribution of nearly $297 million for Afghanistan's critical
    reconstruction and the transfer of $223 million in previously frozen
    Afghan assets. We affirm our determination to move quickly to help
    Afghanistan create jobs and start rebuilding Afghanistan's agricultural
    sector, its health care and educational systems. Concrete examples of
    programs, in addition to our current humanitarian aid program and
    contributions to large infrastructure projects, that will have immediate
    impact are to:

         print and distribute nearly 10 million textbooks in Dari
                and Pashtu, focused on math, reading and science, in time
                for the official start of the Afghan school year in March;
         provide basic training for 4,000 teachers, at least half of
                whom are women;
         vaccinate 2.2 million Afghan children against measles and
                set up primary care community health clinics; and
         use $45 million in food-related programs to, in part,
                promote recovery by providing food directly to teachers and
                students at school and food to workers at project sites.

        Our joint commitment to the development of Afghanistan's private
    sector will be bolstered by an initial U.S. Overseas Private Investment
    Corporation (OPIC) $50 million line of credit to finance qualified U.S.
    private sector projects. We are pleased to announce that in February
    OPIC, the Export-Import Bank, and the U.S. Trade Development Agency,
    will conduct an investment assessment mission to Afghanistan and that
    the Commerce Department will lead a private sector mission to
    Afghanistan to help identify Afghanistan's investment needs and
    opportunities for U.S. private sector participation in reconstruction.
    We welcome a U.S. Department of Labor initiative to fund job generation
    and training programs for ex-combatants and women.
        Finally, we pledge to enhance understanding between the citizens of
    our two countries by promoting people-to-people exchanges and cultural
    initiatives, including through the Fulbright, International Visitor and
    Humphrey programs, as well as through non-governmental organizations.
    Recognizing that the Taliban destroyed several of Afghanistan's great
    historic statues and cultural sites, we agreed to work together to help
    restore and preserve Afghanistan's heritage.

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this joint statement.

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