I welcome this decision by President Obama. Above all, it sends an important political signal to the Afghan people that the international community is not abandoning Afghanistan and continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with the country in its fight against the Taliban.

Germany will also continue to help Afghanistan. In recent weeks, we have called for our efforts in the area of education and vocational training not to be bound to fixed timelines, but for important decisions to be contingent on developments on the ground. The decision taken by the USA constitutes an excellent basis in this regard.

However, greater efforts must be also be made by the Afghan Government in order to restore the country’s stability and development. The Afghan Government is responsible for ensuring that its people have a political and economic future in their own country. Kundus was a wake-up call that reminded us that the necessary political and economic reforms must be pursued even more resolutely and corruption tackled in the long term.