Canada's Engagement in Afghanistan

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History of Canada’s Engagement in Afghanistan 2001–2012

2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012

Historically

• Canada first established diplomatic relations with Afghanistan in 1968 to coordinate the humanitarian and development work that it began providing in the early 1960s in response to a series of natural disasters.
• Prior to 2001, the Canadian International Development Agency’s assistance to Afghanistan consisted largely of humanitarian aid, ranging between $10 and $20 million per year for basic human needs.

2001

• September 11: A series of suicide attacks by the terrorist group Al-Qaeda take place in the United States.
• September 12: United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopts Resolution 1368, supporting efforts to root out terrorism in Afghanistan.
• October 7: The United States and the United Kingdom launch ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ to dismantle the Al-Qaeda terrorist network in Afghanistan and to remove the Taliban regime from power.
• October 8: Canada announces that it will contribute air, land and sea forces to Operation Enduring Freedom.
• December 5: Bonn conference establishes the terms of an agreement for the Afghan Interim Government to lead the country following the fall of the Taliban.
• December 22: Hamid Karzai is sworn in as Chairman of this interim body, which is to be succeeded within 6 months by a Transitional Government, selected through an emergency Loya Jirga (a grand council that regroups locally selected male representatives from different tribes and factions in Afghanistan).
• December 22: The United Nations Security Council authorizes the creation of an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Its mandate is to maintain security in and around Kabul so employees of the Afghan Interim Government and the United Nations can operate in a secure environment.

2002

• January: Canada re-establishes diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.
• January: Following the ‘International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan’ in Tokyo, Canada responds to the Government of Afghanistan's appeal for long-term development investments by significantly bolstering its commitment to the country.
• March 28: The United Nations Security Council establishes the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). In conjunction with the interim government, UNAMA is responsible for managing and coordinating all United Nations humanitarian relief, recovery and reconstruction activities in Afghanistan.
• June 13: The Loya Jirga elects Hamid Karzai as President of the new transitional government of Afghanistan. The interim government is to lead Afghanistan until a fully representative government can be elected through free and fair elections, which are to be held no later than two years after this Loya Jirga.
• October: Canadian troops deploy to Afghanistan as part of US-led Operation Enduring Freedom.

2003

• August: Under the mandate of Operation Athena, Canadian Forces deploy to Kabul to take part in the National Security Force’s (ISAF) mission to help maintain security in Kabul and the surrounding areas.
• August: Canada opens its embassy in Kabul.

2004

• January: Afghanistan implements a new constitution.
• March: Canada commits $250 million in aid to Afghanistan, and $5 million to support the 2004 Afghan presidential election.
• October: First Afghan Presidential elections are held since the fall of the Taliban, confirming Hamid Karzai as President. Elections are organized by the United Nations with the help of the international community.

2005

• September: First Afghan Parliamentary elections (Wolesi Jirga) are held since the fall of the Taliban. Elections are organized by the United Nations with the help of the international community.
• August: Canada assumes leadership of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (KPRT) and command of a challenging military mission: securing a large rural province (Kandahar) the size of Nova Scotia with just 2,500 soldiers.

2006

• January: London Conference approves the Afghanistan Compact, which establishes the framework for international cooperation with Afghanistan for a 5-year period. Subsequently, the UN Security Council endorses the Interim Afghanistan National Development Strategy (IANDS), which provides specific strategies and programs to improve the lives and living conditions of the Afghan people.
• February: Rotational command of Regional Command South RC(S) is transferred from U.S. to Canadian leadership.

2007

• February: Prime Minister Harper directs $200 million in additional reconstruction and development funds in support of Canada’s efforts in Afghanistan.
• October: The Government of Canada commissions the Independent Panel to examine Canada’s mission in Afghanistan and to make recommendations on the future of Canada’s role within Afghanistan.

2008

• January: The Independent Panel issues its report, more commonly known as the “The Manley Report” (the Panel was led by former Liberal Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley) recommending more focused priorities, clear benchmarks, more frequent communications to Canadians regarding Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan and integrated planning. 
• February: Parliament votes to extend the combat mission in Kandahar to 2011.
• June: Canada sets the future course for its engagement in Afghanistan until 2011, establishing six priorities and three signature projects for Afghanistan, and shifts 50% of its programming to Kandahar.
  • The first four priorities focus primarily on Kandahar:
    • maintain a more secure environment and establish law and order by building the capacity of the Afghan National Army and Police, and support complementary efforts in the areas of justice and corrections;
    • provide jobs, education and essential services, like water;
    • provide humanitarian assistance to people in need, including refugees; and
    • enhance the management and security of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
  • The last two priorities have a national focus:
    • build Afghan institutions that are central to our Kandahar priorities and support democratic processes such as elections; and
    • contribute to Afghan-led political reconciliation efforts aimed at weakening insurgency and fostering sustainable peace.
  • The three signature projects are:
    • rehabilitating the Dahla Dam and its irrigation system in Kandahar province;
    • building and repairing 50 schools in targeted districts of Kandahar province and training 3000 teachers in the Province; and
    • eradicating polio at the national level.
  • At this time:
    • Canada’s civilian presence in Afghanistan grows three-fold;
    • Quarterly Reports to Parliament and benchmarks are established regarding Canada's engagement in Afghanistan; and
    • Canada announces it will increase its 10-year allocation to development and reconstruction in Afghanistan from $1.3 billion to $1.9 billion (2001 to 2011).
• June: Paris Conference: Ministers from Canada and 67 other countries assemble for an International Conference in Support of Afghanistan. The Paris Conference reinforces international support for the 2006 Afghanistan Compact, the multinational collaboration that contributes to Afghan development, and raises $20 billion in pledges for the country’s development strategy.
• August: The Canadian Governance Support Office begins operations to provide expert technical advice to the Afghan government in key areas, which  are outlined in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, including: policing services, human rights law, elections operations, vocational programming and education, engineering, financial management and administration..

2009

• March: The international conference on Afghanistan begins in The Hague. Delegations from 72 countries discuss the future of Afghanistan and the role that the international community can play.
• May: Canada introduces the Afghanistan Challenge, a fund-raising initiative that supports the development projects of Canadian organizations and raises awareness about projects that benefit the lives of Afghans.
• June: As part of its commitment to better inform Canadians of Canada’s role in Afghanistan, Canada launches its cross-Canada tour of the Afghansitan360 multimedia exhibit.
• August 20: First Afghan-led Presidential and Provincial Council elections are held since the fall of the Taliban. Hamid Karzai is reelected as President. These elections mark the second set of democratic elections the country has held since the fall of the Taliban.

2010

• January: The second London Conference takes place, bringing together the international community and partners to fully align military and civilian resources behind an Afghan-led political strategy.
• July: The Kabul Conference renews the international community’s commitment to Afghanistan and the Afghan people. More than 75 countries and international organizations participate in the event, which is organized by the Government of Afghanistan.
  • During this conference, the international community and the Government of Afghanistan agree to Afghanistan’s transition plan—the Inteqal process—to see Afghans assume leadership of security, governance and economic development.
• September: First Afghan-led parliamentary elections to elect members of the Wolesi Jirga (lower house) are held. These are the second parliamentary elections in Afghanistan, but the first Afghan-led since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
• November: Government announces Canada’s new role for 2011–2014.

2011

• March: Afghanistan announces that Afghan forces will begin assuming responsibility for security in seven areas in Afghanistan. The transfer of security responsibility for the seven areas represents a first and very significant step in the Inteqal process, which will see lead responsibility for security across the country transferred from ISAF to the Afghan National Security Forces by the end of 2014.
• June: The contingent of Canadian government officials at the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team depart as the targets on our six priorities and three signature projects are nearly completed.
• July: Canada ends its combat mission in Kandahar province.
• July: Canada begins a new engagement based out of Kabul with a focus on four priorities:
  • investing in the future of Afghan children and youth through development programming in education and health;
  • advancing security, the rule of law and human rights including through the provision of up to 950 CF trainers, their support personnel, and approximately 45 Canadian civilian police to help train Afghan National Security Forces;
  • promoting regional diplomacy; and
  • delivering humanitarian assistance.
• July: The Inteqal process begins: Afghan forces begin to assume responsibility for security in seven areas in Afghanistan; including the provinces of Bamyan and Panjshir, Herat city, Kabul province, Lashkar Gah (Helmand), Mazar-e-Sharif (Balkh), and Mehtar Lam (Laghman).
• November 2: The Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan takes place in the objective of promoting regional security and cooperation in the Heart of Asia (Central and South Asia). The conference's declaration includes confidence-building measures to be implemented by Afghanistan and its neighbours to combat terrorism and narcotics, and reinforce regional economic integration.
• November 27: Afghanistan announces the second set of Afghan provinces, districts and cities to start the security transition process, whereby Afghan forces take over responsibility for security from international forces.
• December 5: The International Conference on Afghanistan in Bonn, Germany takes place ten years after the fall of the Taliban. The international community and Afghanistan agree on a renewed partnership, based on respect of mutual commitments, for 'the Transformation Decade,' beyond 2014.
• December 15: The last rotation of troops returns to Canada from Kandahar after completing the closeout of military operations in Kandahar Province as part of Mission Transition Task Force (MTTF) from July to December 2011.

2012

• May 21: The NATO Summit in Chicago, Illinois : Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement and confirmed that Canada's military mission in Afghanistan will come to a firm and final end once the training mission concludes on March 31, 2014.
• June 2: His Excellency Glenn Davidson presented his credentials to President Hamid Karzai and officially assumed the position of Canada’s Ambassador to Afghanistan.

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Date Modified:

2012-06-07