(No. 279 - August 31, 2010 - 8 p.m. ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement on the recent poisoning of schoolgirls in Kabul:

“Canada is deeply concerned with the growing number of attacks on school children in Afghanistan. These cowardly acts, targeting one of the most vulnerable groups within Afghan society, show the complete disregard for the lives of Afghans that opponents of progress in Afghanistan routinely demonstrate...

(No. 250 - August 9, 2010 - 9:40 a.m. ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced the appointment of Tim Martin as the new Representative of Canada in Kandahar (RoCK). Mr. Martin succeeds Ben Rowswell, who held the position since September 2009.

“Mr. Martin assumes a very important role for Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan, as governance and development support in Kandahar remain areas of priority for our mission,” said Minister Cannon. “His predecessor, Mr. Rowswell, played an integral part in helping to advance Canada’s priorities and signature projects in the province of Kandahar and in facilitating positive dialogue between Afghans and Canadians. I am confident Mr. Martin will continue to advance this relationship.”

The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement on the conclusion of his successful visit to Afghanistan, where he participated in the Kabul International Conference on Afghanistan:

“The Kabul International Conference on Afghanistan was the first conference of its kind to be organized by the Government of Afghanistan. The impressive number of participants sends a strong message to the people of Afghanistan that the commitment of the international community toward their country has not wavered.

“Canada, along with the more than 75 other countries and international organizations at the Conference, expressed continued support for the Government of Afghanistan’s Kabul Process. The Kabul Process stems from clear commitments President Hamid Karzai made, in both his November 2009 inaugural speech and at the January 2010 London Conference, on security, governance, fighting corruption, protecting human rights, enacting electoral reform and improving the delivery of basic services to the people of Afghanistan.

Canadian soldiers would be welcome to stay on training local troops after their combat role ends in Afghanistan next year, Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada said Monday.

Jawed Ludin told CTV News Channel that with so many Canadians having given their lives for the freedom of Afghans, his country cannot ask them to make any further sacrifices.

But he said Afghan soldiers and police would appreciate and benefit from further training from the Canadians....

To watch in interview please click below.

By Waheedullah Massoud (AFP)KABUL — Afghanistan has nearly one trillion dollars in mineral deposits, according to a US study, but there are doubts the war-torn and graft-prone country can manage the windfall offered by the untapped riches.

President Hamid Karzai said in January that the deposits could help the war-ravaged nation become one of the richest in the world, based on preliminary findings of the United States Geological Survey.

The final results, reported in the New York Times Monday, found previously unknown reserves of lithium, iron, gold, niobium, cobalt and other minerals that the paper said could transform Afghanistan into a global mining hub.

"The natural resources of Afghanistan will play a magnificent role in Afghanistan's economic growth," Jawad Omar, spokesman for the country's ministry of mines and industries, told AFP.

"The past five decades show that every time new research takes place, it shows our natural reserves are far more than what was previously found," he said.