Conference: Hungary’s Role in Afghanistan Has Been Successful

In his opening speech, Brig.-Gen. János Huszár, the Chief of Staff of the Hungarian Defence Forces Joint Force Command (HDF JFC) stressed that the challenges arising from this role had been complex, but the Hungarian troops had done a valuable and successful job. They performed their duties professionally, which earned appreciation from soldiers of other nations as well, he added.

He reminded his audience that all in all, the Provincial Reconstruction Team – which operated between October 1, 2006 and March 31, 2013 in the northern region of Afghanistan – was a successful endeavor of the Hungarian Defence Forces, although it claimed human lives as well.

In his presentation, Péter Tálas, the director of the Centre for Strategic Research, National University of Public Service pointed out that the Afghan mission had demanded huge efforts of Hungary; still, our presence there was a symbolic one “due to our size". He noted that the Hungarian Defence Forces had participated successfully in a not so successful Afghan mission, and had “a very positive record". In his opinion, like Iraq, Libya and Kosovo, Afghanistan has not been “thought over strategically". He said that our participation was important because of our international image. From a military and professional point of view, Afghanistan has been the greatest challenge and the greatest step forward so far, he added.

Tas Kelemen, the Head of the Department for Defence Policy, Ministry of Defence said that during the operations in Afghanistan, there was a great need for the special capabilities that are not available to the US military. Speaking about the provincial reconstruction teams, he noted that first of all, they were supposed to reorganize the life in the provinces with the help of a strong military presence as well as civil development and specialist teams.

In connection with the Hungarian PRT experiences, he said that Hungary is talked about on the highest level because of its role in Afghanistan, which certainly has a positive effect on our relations with the United States and NATO.

Maj.-Gen. László Domján, Commander, HDF JFC said that the PRT would have an impact on the development of national defence. From now on, military and civil power will appear together in the modern art of war and the fight against terror, and the acceptance of cultural differences, the establishment of a trust-based environment and the use of the Special Forces will have a key role.

He said the Hungarian Defence Forces had spent a historic seven years in Afghanistan, during which the Provincial Reconstruction Team showed the world what the Hungarian troops are able to accomplish. He added that they have learned new tactics and a new model of command, while the lessons learned are continuously integrated into their capabilities and strengthen them further.

At the conference, the 2010 agreement on scientific cooperation between the IT Faculty of the Veszprém-based Pannon University and the HDF Joint Force Command was extended to the Faculty of Social Sciences. The agreement was signed by Rector Ferenc Friedler and László Domján. In what followed, the participants of the conference inaugurated and laid wreaths by the PRT memorial column, a symbol of commitment and comradeship brought home from Afghanistan and erected outside the main building of the HDF JFC.

The soldiers serving with the last, 13th rotation of the Hungarian Defence Forces Provincial Reconstruction Team returned home from Afghanistan on March 28, 2013. Between October 2006 and March 2013, more than 2500 Hungarian soldiers served in Baghlan Province (Northern Afghanistan). In the 183 days of their tour of duty, the 111 soldiers in the last PRT rotation completed more than 660 missions in the province.

During its close to seven-year service, the soldiers of the Hungarian PRT implemented development projects worth around HUF 2 billion. Owing to the activity of the HUN PRT, the improving conditions of education infrastructure affected 15 per cent of the children of school age in the province, while the health care projects provided more than 5,000 families – 35-40 per cent of the population in the relevant provinces – with access to higher-level health care. In addition, the soldiers of the Hungarian PRT have substantially contributed to the development of the road network, drinking water supply, flood control, the energy sector and agriculture.

With the end of the PRT activity, the Hungarian Defence Forces continue working in another six NATO-led missions in Afghanistan.

Photos: Gábor Kálmánfi