Canada's Defense Minister Peter MacKay concluded a four-day visit to Afghanistan with praise for his country's troops as they prepare next year to wrap up combat operations in Kandahar, officials said Saturday.
"The Canadian forces serve and sacrifice to defend our country and assist the people of Afghanistan rebuild their country," MacKay said in a statement as he ended his Christmas holiday season visit with Canadian forces in Kabul and Kandahar.
"They are making tangible progress in a very challenging environment," McKay said.
"It was an honor for me to spend this special time of year in Afghanistan with the men and women who represent our great country with such eminence."
Canada is ending its NATO-led combat mission to Kandahar province in July 2011 and beginning a non-combat, Kabul-centered training role that will continue until 2014.
MacKay had talks during his visit with General Abdul Rahim Wardak, his Afghan counterpart, as well as with NATO's commander of Regional Command (South), US Major-General James Terry, and Canadian Brigadier-General Dean Milner, Task Force Kandahar Commander.
He also spoke with US Lieutenant-General William Caldwell, commander of the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan and commander of the Combined Security Transition Command about strategic engagement post-2011.
"The future of Afghanistan depends on the institutions and infrastructure that Canada is helping to create," said MacKay, who was accompanied on the trip by senior diplomatic and development officials including Bev Oda, Ottawa's Minister of International Cooperation.
"I continue to see improvement every time I come to Afghanistan, and am hopeful for the future," MacKay said.
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