Voting concludes in Afghan Presidential election

The Australian Government welcomes the conclusion of the final round of voting in the Afghan Presidential elections.

The election, held on 14 June, has been managed successfully by the Afghan election authorities and I commend them and the work of the Afghan security forces in achieving this historic milestone.

The Afghan people defied attempts by armed insurgent groups to disrupt the process and have spoken decisively in favour of democracy. I applaud their courage and commitment to a peaceful Afghanistan.

Australia has supported the Afghan electoral process by helping to build more effective institutions. Australian funding for domestic and international observers has helped to preserve the integrity of the voting process.

Civic awareness programs also encouraged increased voter participation.

Australia remains committed to progress in Afghanistan including through the provision of development assistance and our continued support for the Afghan National Security Forces.