Leaders agree to Afghanistan handover timetable

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

It’s all happened very quickly, but that doesn’t negate that world leaders have reached a positive agreement this afternoon on a timetable for the handover of security in Afghanistan, due to start later this year.

The conference in London said the Afghan National Army would take further responsibility this year, and be conducting “the majority of operations in the insecure areas of Afghanistan within three years.”

David Miliband said:

“Today alone there have been over 140 million dollars worth of commitments for the first year of the national reintegration programme and we are committed to seeing that through…It will ensure employment, infrastructure and the organisation of a drive for political engagement which offers long-term security for Afghanistan.”

The assembled nations’ final communique said the agreement is a “decisive step towards greater Afghan leadership to secure, stabilize and develop Afghanistan.”

We won’t hold our breath, but it’s progress.