The Indian Government is to soon host a meeting of regional investors on Afghanistan in New Delhi.

This was announced by the Foreign Minister, Mr S.M. Krishna after co-chairing the inaugural session of the India-Afghanistan Partnership Council. The Council meeting was also attended by the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Zalmai Rassoul.

Mr Krishna said that the hosting of the meeting was a measure of India's ongoing commitment to the long-term future prosperity of Afghanistan. Senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs said that the meeting will be attended by all stake holders including Indian industry, apex chambers of commerce and industry among others. “The meeting will be held before the Tokyo meeting on Afghanistan. The Delhi meeting will act as a sort of the bridge between the earlier Istanbul meeting on Afghanistan and the Tokyo meeting,” a senior official said.

Mr Krishna also announced that the Foreign Ministers of India and Afghanistan had directed the three working groups under the Partnership Council on trade and economic cooperation, capacity development and education and social, cultural, civil society and people-to-people contacts to meet at an early date.

Addressing the media, Dr Rassoul said that India has been the largest development partner for Afghanistan in the region over the past decade. “Among other areas India's support includes $2 billion development assistance in 2001 which has helped Afghanistan to build key roads, provide essential health care services and send kids to school. Afghanistan keenly looks to forward its partnership with India in the months and years to come” the Minister said.

> ashphadnis@thehindu.co.in

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