Report of the Afghanistan Commission presented

'I would like to thank the commission for the thorough job it has done in drawing up this important report. The report highlights the difficult challenges faced both by the Afghan people and by the international community in the years from 2015 to 2021. We will learn from the lessons set out in the report and use this to make better decisions in future international operations and crises,' said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.

In 2024, the Government appointed a commission to evaluate Norway's efforts in Afghanistan from 2015 to 2021. The commission examined Norway's military contribution, the provision of development assistance, the 2021 evacuation operation, and peace and reconciliation efforts. The commission was chaired by Bjørn Tore Godal, former Minister of Defence and Minister of Foreign Affairs, who also headed the previous Afghanistan Commission that evaluated Norway's engagement from 2001 to 2014.

Together with the United States and close allies, Norway maintained a presence in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years. More than 10 000 men and women from the Norwegian Armed Forces, the justice sector, and the Foreign Service served in the country.

'First and foremost, I would like to thank the Norwegian personnel who served in Afghanistan. Their courage and dedication made a difference. I would also like to thank the commission for its comprehensive efforts. This in many ways marks the conclusion of the chapter on Afghanistan in Norwegian military history. At the same time, we will continue to provide support to our veterans, who made an extraordinary contribution,' said Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik.

According to the report the Norwegian Special Forces and the Afghan Special Police Unit prevented 46 complex terrorist attacks in Kabul, saving many lives. The experience gained from these operations has enhanced the counterterrorism capability of the Norwegian Special Forces, to the benefit of Norwegian security today.

'The knowledge acquired by the special forces has also been valuable in training partner forces. The lessons learned in Afghanistan have been transferred to other operations, including the training of Ukrainian defence forces,' said Mr Sandvik.

The evacuation from Afghanistan provides important insights. Under what at times were chaotic conditions, more than 1 100 people were brought to Norway safely in a difficult and demanding operation. The report evaluates this operation, both identifying certain things that could have been done better, and showing how quickly a successful evacuation was organised and carried out under extreme circumstances.

Toward the end of the evacuation operation, Norway took over responsibility for the field hospital at Kabul airport, which then remained operational until the evacuation was completed.

'This was deeply appreciated by our allies. Although the overall objectives of the Afghanistan mission were not achieved, the effort demonstrated that even small-scale Norwegian contributions can have a strategic impact. The things we have learned from the activities of the Special Forces, the field hospital, and the Norwegian Intelligence Service have strengthened Norway's defence capability and enhanced our cooperation with close partners,' said Mr Sandvik.

The report stresses that conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan have deteriorated significantly, and that the situation for women and girls in the country today is grave.

'Promoting the rights of women's and girls has been an important focus area throughout Norway's engagement in Afghanistan. Ensuring that women were able to participate actively in peace and reconciliation efforts has been a key priority for Norway, and we took every opportunity to emphasise that women must be given a seat at the table. Norway has not abandoned Afghan women and girls, and we will continue to advocate for their rights with the de facto authorities," said Foreign Minister Eide.

The report raises questions about whether Norway's peace and reconciliation efforts were, at times, too accommodating of the Taliban. As part of its engagement, the Norwegian authorities considered it important to maintain a dialogue with all parties in order to make progress.

'The report highlights some difficult dilemmas. At the same time, I believe it clarifies how, even with limited resources, Norwegian conflict resolution efforts can yield significant results. We assumed responsibility for maintaining dialogue with the Taliban while also engaging with the Afghan government as a step in pursuing a sustainable path forward for Afghanistan,' said Mr Eide.

The commission points out that the United States and its Allies underestimated the magnitude of the task at hand.

'We must acknowledge that building a modern democratic state from the outside is an almost impossible undertaking. The operation suffered from too many conflicting objectives, and the link between means and goals was unclear. All the participants in the Afghanistan mission must reflect on this and learn from it,' said Mr Eide.