institution for learning tonight with the public program is to provide our distinguished guests an opportunity, all of you after this presentation facilitated via the distinguished ambassador to ask questions and please listen carefully. we have an opportunity to listen to and hear from representing a region of the world of afghanistan a sovereign nation to a participating member in the global community world bank imf a country in transition

from others in the world community working together in harmony towards a common goal. address to much conflict to be embraced by the world community. and with the diplomatic community. this independence from britain they appreciate in the first diplomatic ties from 1921 to reinforce stand

consolidated and the population is almost 32 million. and only 27 percent of the population lives in the urban area with two official languages. afghanistan is a land winked , not long -- not locked almost as big as the state of texas but take that as the complement. with the demographic of less it is equally boys and girls young men and women equal empowerment and the future of afghanistan will not be as bright they 2012 usf

afghanistan finding jury strategic partnership and to promote peace and economic opportunity and now at 200,000 strong the africa armed forces hitting together by a common cause to help develop a new afghanistan with numerous challenges and threatens to supersede to the internal security threat and for

economic development are too enthusiastic about their prospects. as a vital income source threatening national policies and differences of partisan affiliations and government corruption the task of rebuilding a new afghanistan and through the efforts of the individuals afghanistan has made strides to more prosperous stable and peaceful nation on saturday the prospect of peace was enhanced. i do believe he was killed

and i hope that whoever replaces him to see there is a path to the future primary and secondary enrollment has increased from 1 million boys to 8 million boys and girls today that is a phenomenal achievement for the future of both with the at international accord with man/woman with equal rights and duties before the law. and finally the jobs for peace program to reignite

the afghani diaspora and to rebuild the nation. >> in the short time that i have known him day-by-day the leaders of the country have committed have impressed me greatly as a man of honor of a soft diplomacy with the hearts and minds to educate people and served as ambassador to the united states due september 2015 as said deputy chief of staff and

founded the afghan students facility the fate take that has initiated motile programs for afghan women. and moderating today's discussion is one of the great rascals from ambassador given. with the rise of a sense of humor there only to in the history of u.s. diplomacy following in their diplomatic posting. said tonight we have one of those individuals from a long time ago but ambassador

newman and i are friends and professional colleagues and in terms of our commitment to mobilize never networks be had in support of her nation's quest and economic development so i am very honored to risk to embassadors to come to our table tonight i'd like to think of ronald reagan building the international trade center for their kindness for our strategic partner in terms of the work that we do and our director of international affairs and global communications and to

work with us so give a very loud welcome to ambassador. [applause] >> i figured the ambassador would have so much to say about that. i have been called many things have been carried him protest they give for that interesting introduction and

take you to the world affairs council to be here again it was the great experience and before we go to the hard stuff and although not quite you are still emblematic in bidding

through that tragedy to give people a sense. >> en to produce something with the dedication and to have my country with diplomatic posting it to have over 30 years of extremely difficult period

and has turned the tables around of a functioning democracy in the opportunities that we will build our country or a democracy we will continue to build on. >> you and your family went a law to the process. the vast majority of afghans suffered through this war and we have to live in refugee camps and to live

through civil war those debtor outside of afghanistan and those you went through very difficult time and he survived. that is where they come in and to just share the stories of a few couple of months ago we lost the finals to india, but the people were so proud to tell our heroes that morning a bomb exploded but that did

not stop thousands of afghans in the report was proven right as a huge bomb exploded but from anybody who wants to destroy that back. >> dido in the years you can hardly think of an afghan or associate who has not had themselves or a death or torture or imprisonment it was the violent year is important for americans to understand the afghan security forces that america

has lost the warfare in afghanistan. it it took some hard knocks last year what would reduce delaware over what you think the security forces will do this year? it is dangerous to predict a battle but people are worried will other capitals all? it is possible but how do you see the afghan forces? >> to paraphrase of president was the military since he was 12 years old

with huge leaps of progress but to come back to that determination we have seen so much. many people were predicting we would fail. but to find it very difficult to make sure the enemy does not meet the strategic objective. and we improved coordination with the attacks that were expected s there were 75 percent more and every attack was defeated. this is a much more intense attack and we could do that because that coordination

became better and how to defend our territory and what is important to understand is the role of the foundation. with the security forces have the responsibility of security and - - carrying. ever. and we have to rely on the international security forces and security personnel. and providing support in fighting shoulder to shoulder. but we pulled through we are on our way out ivan a much better position and we can

defeat any attacks. >> seeming to make a critical attack, how large evaluate what has happened? that is where we have never attacked before with a significant blow of killing the taliban leader? speculation is dangerous so there is a way to get in trouble. [laughter] but how much would you like to speculate what happens? >> we welcome president obama is decision to eliminate a person that is

stalling the government for peace process. . .

the comments whether we actually have a change of policy, under pressure or whether we had a onetime act that will be repeated is the big question. i hope your right.right. we lost a lot of people because of those sanctuaries that provide a place to find medical care and keep the families and leaders stay safe. >> speculation is difficult. the opportunity at this

event brings to create piece in afghanistan we have extended the hand of piece once again to all those taliban you might want to take this opportunity now and join the afghan led and known peace process. >> you have an interesting possible reinforcement of that with the talk about piece settlements. and i know a lot of people are wondering, will that settlement -- it seems to be there, almost they're or sort of they're, is that going to have an effect on things like progress that has been made our the afghan constitution? >> absolutely not. we don't make compromises in our constitution. that has been clear right

from the beginning. this peace process is to make thought to provide an opportunity for those who may have legitimate grievances, and if there willing to talk that the government will be open to negotiate a piece. >> i'm sure you get the question. whether this holds out a threat. >> that has been a very clear message that we always put on the peace process. they are not ready to compromise. this is been a message that we always given.

i don't think anyone has a problem with the constitution. this is the most islamic constitution. we are confident that that would not be an issue for at least the progress. but it is not just the progress that we have made in the gains in the constitution. today the afghan society is demanding that change. that happened because the people wanted it. people implemented it. listed for themselves, but also the men, you may remember the men came out in the street to protest. and that is an extremely

positive change that cannot be turned back. >> i did not expect anything less. one of the images in my mind when i think of women in afghanistan is one of the pictures from the last election, must've been 50 women all in burqa, all holding up a long piece of blue plastic covering this long line standing in the rain from all helping to hold of this plastic to keep the rain off of them comeau waiting to get in to the polling place to vote. i thought that was such a powerful picture. the determination. when you look at this evolving democracy of afghanistan, it is a picture that is so -- the one hand and the other hand, people get carried away talking about whichever hand they

want to shake. it is all about corruption comeau all failed. on the other hand you have 7 million people that voted in the last election despite threats of violence. they came out despite being warned that ey could be killed or have their fingers cut off. there is an appetite for democracy which would be very difficult to put back in the bottle, and in a sense, for all the problems afghanistan is more democratic, no more corrupt, it has much more competition for corruption, but for democracy it is clearly more democratic than any one of the countries that touches its border. that something we don't reflect on. how do you see this balance between all politics and corruption on the one hand

and democracy on the other? how do you see that balance tilting in the future? >> i paint a picture. i work at the american university of afghanistan, and it was a difficult period, before it had its 1st graduate, we invited when people -- it was -- 1st of all, finding those brave professors who would come to afghanistan and they go throughgo through the difficult period are they did not have the right infrastructure to connect, so we knew how difficult it was. and then i left. i want to do my phd and saw in the news the headlines, a uf, the american university of afghanistan graduated its 1st class. too many people that was

just a headline. to me it was not headline. it was an emotional moment because i knew how much difficulty went to get to that stage. the same with hospitals. he had to go across the border to go and treat malaria and you have hospitals today the treat -- the separate conjoined twins , treat more complex operations, kidneys, heart transplant, that progress is difficult to get an covering a headline in c. one of the reasons we have so much gloom in the media is because it only covers the war. the unstoppable mess. and i have institutions to maintain that process.

more educated you thing you've ever had before. this would have not been the basis to do that. we flipped through a political transition. the transition and they are changing relying to restitution. so when we had the transition from a lot of institutions had trouble

adjusting themselves to their loyalties to the presidency rather than a person who left. it was made even more complicated by being a national unity government. we pulled out of that. that adjustment happened. and over the past few months you would have noted more progress in afghanistan. you don't see the same questions. there was a question of survival for a while. doubtful of the period, but once they saw the progress made they are more confidence and the girls. we has afghans are more we

know we are determined to preserve the progress we have made and build on it. we are also confident because we can see the relevance. what changes we have been able to bring out. there is no continuity. media may only see what's covered. it is an abstract. an abstract is defined by whatever you read. for afghans related and we know what progress has been made and what we are doing to continue to make. >> it has been a difficult year. the national unity government is not always been distinguished by its

unity. and had an enormous difficulty filling positions no real policy differences. it has a lot of others. what do you see looking out at this next year? are we going to continue to see this sort of endless squabbling, or can they play better together? >> again, people did not give the credit for forming a national unity government. for the 1st time we shared power, the coalition government.

almost a year, the former government australia struggle with that for a long time. there was a new prime minister. that phase the goes into trust building to build it and also our population was not accustomed to this. in the election campaign teams the support of the candidates wanted a different form of government. their teams took time to be able to trust each other, and i think that will continue to be built. now we are in a very

different place. >> having lived through nine transitions in my career, i can say that the habit of transition thinking that should be immediately employed is not only in afghanistan. i would ask you, recognize you please to give your name , if you have an affiliation give your affiliation. please try to make them questions. that statement that ends with a ?-question-mark one back here already. >> there you are. >> i have lights in my eyes. >> the afghan american

chamber of commerce. my question, here in the united states we have a representative congressman and senator on both sides of the aisle that support a long-term afghanistan policy, but we are about to go through a very interesting presidential election. what are the two or three us policies you would like to see continue into the next administration. >> that's a question we see that through congress and we hope to see it through the campaign teams. with the candidates and their teams to explain and understand policies toward afghanistan and they have questions about it.

so far we don't have any concerns. there is a lot of support for afghanistan, and we are in an extremely fortunate position to be, to make so much success. the transformation decade. policies are both sides of the aisle while the policymakers. >> the signal i'm getting is we need people to go to the microphone. >> also i turn this way, i'm not ignoring the side of the crowd.

while they're getting there, i hope your right. i had a candidate or any of the three remaining ones say one word about afghanistan. no one talks about syria. twice as many troops in afghanistan. it is where we were attacked trump and don't say anything. let's get the next question. >> i have no affiliation. you made reference to the fact that afghanistan has the most islamic does that

mean sharia law? >> based on sharia and it may be it is not the strictest of interpretations. perhaps extremists want. but our constitution is based on syrian has been for the past 50 years. >> but he also signed a whole variety of international human rights agreements, laws. >> absolutely. not to say that sharia is not compliant with human rights, it is. that has been our constitution since it was formed 50 years ago. but the constitution if i remember, no law can be.

>> doubt we refer to sharia. that is acceptable to the afghan population. we have been able to include all off of the afghan population, and my reference to that was they already have sharia law. we'll see that being a problem. >> in a position where you have to make compromises on

our constitution, we don't have to make any compromise on the constitution because they are already compliant. and it is already acceptable and implemented by our government and accepted by the population. so so far we have not had me issues, the remarks about what needs to be, what is wanted. we have not have those negotiations, but unofficially whether has been discussion that has been no question about what needs to be. so that is what makes us more confident we will have to make compromises.

>> investor, thank you. i am a psychiatrist. interested in the psychology of the conflict. possible to negotiate, how that process is gone so far and how we proceed in that direction, the challenges of negotiating? >> you're talking about if it psychologically possible. >> the political issues but then understanding the psychology and what they want and who they are as a group, other elements that are more cognitively flexible than others. monolithic.

one deal of that long. different elements. we see a lot, it has also become now begs the question , the grievances.

criminals would have to go after them. >> mr. ambassador, the perspective to what the democratic principles unknown in western society, truly viable. afghanistan is the democratic nation by culture. all our decisions have been made in the council. and to this day most of our biggest decisions that are not allow within the constitution are made by a grand council.

it is enshrined in the culture. we are democratic. >> good evening. very interested to see a technology background and your comments about surgery. i was wondering if you could tell us about the intersection of technology and development. >> well, i have to say afghanistan made great strides in technology. we have coverage.

the availability comeau we have jumped from almost everyone that has access has been connected. alexis is not really require they continue to be active. and we are working, looking into how we can bank on that accessibility to be able to deliver and also with the connectivity being available very lucky to see.

>> the free market success. we had three different contracts. afghanistan they went with the free market. i use my phone all over the country. it works. it is one of the perks. >> the largest income, and as it builds or develops, being implemented, executive payments, salaries are being paid and e-voting and other

ideas, also look for elections. the media sector has been using it for a while. >> more questions. >> not affiliated with anybody.anybody. a couple of times today tonight you have mentioned cutting back on international drug trade. eventually america will pull back militarily and financially and without the appeal tried doing what it does: do you see as the economic fill in for those two influx of cash? >> afghanistan has many riches.

over 3,000 mines alone and are currently working on the legal infrastructure to make that accessible. also working to make sure. what happened in africa for example, the resource situation were also afghanistan is at the crossroads. they working on projects, being transported to salvation. for afghanistan, roundabout of south and central asia

with ideas flow freely, and that is in afghanistan we are working on building. we also increasing revenue through different industries. last year loan despite the very difficult year we were able to increase revenue by 22 percent. now, making -- the security improves and legal infrastructure is much more attractive to investors we will be able to invest. we have a ten year plan is working on making afghanistan totally self-reliant. and increasing revenues. the streams of investment. >> thank you.

[inaudible conversations] >> as you mentioned, we are very worried about woman achievement in afghanistan. do you think there is any guarantee from the united states that women achievement will be safe when they participate in the peace process? also, one of the conditions is you keep saying that foreign, this opinion comeau what do you think? >> first of all, let me repeat that we have not made any compromises on the achievements of women. they are not making any compromises on the constitution, and 2nd, the conditions of -- i think

that condition has been refined to say the deadline our timeline for the security forces command we are working, but we are not counting on afghanistan and always have the client assistance. we are thankful, but as you are aware afghan security forces are now in full control and are the ones responsible for protecting territories of the international security forces. >> i would like to. >> train and advise. >> i would like to see is provide a little more air support. we got 300 bombs in iraq and 30 afghanistan. it is a strange approach. they seem to think they are still in a war with us. you can tell i'm out of the govern.