UN Secretary-general Ban Ki- moon on Monday called on the international community to continue its support for Afghanistan where the situation is at "a critical juncture."
In his latest report to the Security Council, Ban expressed concern about the flawed presidential election and the adverse effects of increased Taliban suicide and other attacks both for the government's ability to deliver basic services and that of the international community to provide aid.
"The situation cannot continue as is if we are to succeed in Afghanistan," he said. "There is a need for a change of mindset in the
international community as well as in the government of Afghanistan."
"Without that change, the prospects of success will diminish further," he said.
Last year's elections have revealed "serious flaws and weaknesses that need to be corrected before the United Nations can engage in a similar
supporting role for future elections," he said.
"To reverse the negative trends, a more focused and better coordinated international effort, within the framework of a strategy of transition, is urgently required," Ban stated.
"If the negative trends are not corrected, there is a risk that the deteriorating overall situation will become irreversible. We cannot afford this," he warned.
Ban rejected the argument that the election, marred by fraud in the first round and by the withdrawal of President Hamid Karzai's main opponent Abdullah Abdullah in the second, was so flawed that it had condemned the state-building process to failure.
"This is incorrect. Rather, it is the weaknesses in the state- building process so far, including the ongoing culture of impunity, the still inadequate security forces, corruption and the insufficient pace of institution-building that undermined the electoral process," he said.
"Despite the flaws, however, this is not a reason to abandon what has been achieved," he added.
The secretary-general urged the international community to work toward
formulating a strategy with the "emphasis on building up the Afghan National Security Forces and the gradual handover of responsibility for security to Afghanistan's own authorities."
"It will require commitments both by the Government of Afghanistan to implement reforms and set firm priorities and by the international community to assist in developing programs and provide resources to implement them," he added.