Certainly it's regrettable that a drop in development assistance to Afghanistan would take place at the same time as these other changes are taking place. Afghanistan is one of the poorest places in the world. The aid assistance would support a range of activities that could address the kinds of conflict sparks that exist in Afghanistan.
It's not just that there's al Qaeda or a terrorist network, or the Taliban and an insurgent problem, but there are also problems at local levels after more than three decades of war, including conflicts over water and land between various groups. These conflicts are very difficult to resolve, although they can be, and there are ways that Afghan society has of doing that. Canada, through aid and other mechanisms, can assist, particularly with civil society groups that are emerging and want to contribute to the long-term sustainability of peace in Afghanistan. A special envoy could contribute to that.