Islamabad: MATSUDA Kuninori, Ambassador of Japan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, has welcomed the agreement on the procedures of the on-going peace negotiations between the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban announced on 2nd December, and has expressed his good wishes for further success in the Afghan peace process.

“We welcome the recent agreement between the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban, and would like to express our sincere hope for further success in the negotiations following this essential advancement,” said Ambassador MATSUDA on 3rd December.

Ambassador MATSUDA also emphasized the importance and necessity of Pakistan’s contribution to the peace process. He said, “I always appreciate the significant efforts by the Government of Pakistan to facilitate the Afghan peace process, and hope that the intra-Afghan dialogue will pave the way for regional stability.” The Ambassador reaffirmed that the Government of Japan continues to work with Pakistan to strengthen peace and stability in the region.

Ambassador MATSUDA reiterated that Japan is currently working on providing assistance to Afghanistan from 2021 to 2024, maintaining the amount comparable to the past four years, which was USD 180 million per year. Japan’s pledge was announced by H.E. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Foreign Minister of Japan, at the 2020 Afghanistan Conference in Geneva on 24th November.