Handover of responsibility in Uruzgan
Today, the international troops in Uruzgan handed over responsibility for security in the province to the Afghan administration. This is taking place 2 years after the departure of the Dutch military personnel.
Uruzgan belongs to the third group of provinces undergoing the transition. The Afghan security forces took over responsibility for the provinces of Bamiyan, Kabul, Panjshir, Balkh, Daykundi, Takhar, Samangan, Nimroz and Kunduz at an earlier stage.
Attaché
The occasion was celebrated with a great deal of ceremony in the Governor’s Compound in Tarin Kowt. Among those present were Minister of Defence Abdul Rahim Wardak, the Australian and American ambassadors, Major General James Huggins (US, Commander RC South) and more than 200 tribal chiefs. The Dutch representatives at the ceremony were Embassy Secretary Martine van der Does and the Defence Attaché to Afghanistan, Lieutenant Colonel Hans van de Ven.
Thanks
Before the Afghan flag was hoisted, there was an official gathering in the new shura building in Tarin Kowt, with addresses by representatives of the government in Kabul but also by tribal leaders from the region. Along with the United States and Australia, words of thanks were specifically directed towards the Netherlands for its great commitment and the important contribution it has made to stability and reconstruction in the province.
The Netherlands is still active in Uruzgan through development cooperation projects. These projects are managed from the embassy in Kabul
