Brotherly Afghan people and my fellow citizens,

After 3,5 years, my term of duty has come to an end, and I am leaving Afghanistan for good today (14 May 2021). I remember like yesterday the day I set foot in Kabul on 30 November 2017. Since then, never a dull moment and I didn't notice how time flied.

The first two years of my term witnessed two major elections in October 2018 and September 2019, and their ensuing implications. Then, following the agreement signed between the U.S. and the Taliban on 29 February 2020, peace negotiations have started in Doha on 12 September 2020. The attention was on the peace process till recently. In the wake of the withdrawal announcements on 14 April 2021, I believe that the Istanbul Conference which is expected to bring dynamism and momentum to the peace process, has become all the more relevant and critical. The current historical opportunity for peace should not be missed. Both Afghan sides and the international community have responsibility in this regard. It is with this understanding that Turkey is dedicated to host the Istanbul Conference when the conditions are right.

My Afghan brothers and sisters,

You have accorded warmest hospitality, great cooperation and a high degree of friendship to me and to the Embassy staff, and I am deeply grateful for that. I enjoyed this sentiment not only in Kabul, but also in those provinces that I had the chance to visit such as Herat, Kandahar, Mazar and Helmand among others.

I also would like to thank the Afghan Government for the gracious support and close cooperation the Embassy and myself received during my term to the efforts for further deepening our bilateral relationship in every field. In this context, I hope that Turkish-Afghan Women University project can be brought to life without further delay. It will be meaningful to sign the founding agreement at a time when we are celebrating this year the centennialof the establishmentof bilateral diplomatic relations. We are also determined to revitalize inter-parliamentaryrelations once the Covid-19 restrictions are eased.

My fellow citizens,

I would like to thank you for the support and understanding you have shared when needed. I thank in particular the Turkish businessmen who are contributing to diversification of bilateral trade relations. The current bilateral trade volume is far from reflecting Afghanistan's true capacity and the nature of our bilateral relations. Therefore, I call on the Turkish businesses to invest more in Afghanistan. The settlement of the problems of some Turkish companies would give a boost to the Embassy's efforts to that end.

Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing restrictions have fundamentally altered our lifestyles. I would like to thank my citizens in Afghanistan for their patience and understanding.

Dear brotherly Afghan people,

It has been a terrific experience for me since I assumed my post in Afghanistan. I am honored and privilegedto had the chance to serve the Turkish-Afghan relations. I am going back to Ankara, but Turkey is committed to support the brotherly Afghan nation as long as our help is needed.

With my best regards,

Oguzhan Ertugrul
Ambassador