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Ban Ki-moon, the secretary-general of the United Nations, made the remarks while addressing an open debate of the UN Security Council on the situation of Afghanistan.
The United Nations' Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday said that the United Nations must prepare to assist Afghanistan in its upcoming leadership transition and beyond in order to foster peace and stability in the vulnerable country.
The secretary-general made the remarks while addressing an open debate of the UN Security Council on the situation of Afghanistan. "Afghanistan's greatest need is peace," said Ban. "Expectations must be realistic. Reconciliation efforts will not be quick or easy."
A key focus will be supporting the upcoming presidential elections in 2014, said Ban.
The Afghan people must come together not only to shun conflict but to assume leadership and ownership of the transition process for the sake of one Afghanistan, he said. "This is essential to end more than 30 years of conflict and establish true and lasting peace."
The secretary-general welcomed the efforts of the incumbent Afghan President Hamid Karzai to adopt electoral legislation to add legitimacy and transparency to the process.
"Broad participation and a credible process are essential to reaching the goal of a widely accepted leadership transition," he said.
But the security situation in the country remains tenuous, said Ban. "I am especially concerned about the 20 percent increase in civilian casualties among women and girls in 2012."He emphasized the importance of women's role in the peace and stability of the country, saying "women and girls are key to a better future for Afghanistan."
Some of the instabilities of the country originate from the widespread cultivation of poppy to produce opium, which continues to increase and create corruption in the country, said the secretary-general. "Tackling the illicit economy is also critical to boosting economic confidence."
The secretary-general urged further engagement, saying, "the United Nations must reinforce Afghan efforts. We aim to strengthen Afghan political processes and institutions."
"Let us work as hard as possible to ensure that this transition leads to the stable, prosperous and safe future that the country's people deserve," said the secretary-general.
