A/RES/62/6 Condemning recent cases of the abduction and even killing of journalists and other civilians by terrorist and extremist groups, Encouraging the completion of the interim Afghanistan National Development Strategy 5 by early 2008, as well as further efforts of the Government of Afghanistan to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, Welcoming the outcome of the Regional Economic Cooperation Conferences, held in Kabul on 4 and 5 December 2005 and in New Delhi on 18 and 19 November 2006, as well as of the Enabling Environment Conference, held in Kabul on 4 and 5 June 2007, and of the seventeenth ministerial meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization held in Herat, Afghanistan, from 17 to 20 October 2007, and welcoming also Pakistan’s offer to host the next Regional Economic Cooperation Conference in early 2008, Welcoming also the continuing and growing ownership of the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts by the Government of Afghanistan, and emphasizing the crucial need to achieve ownership in all fields of governance and to improve institutional capabilities, including at the provincial level, in order to use aid more effectively, Expressing its appreciation for the humanitarian assistance work of the international community in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, recognizing the necessity of further addressing the slow pace of change in the living conditions of the Afghan people, and noting the need to strengthen and support the capacity of the Government of Afghanistan to deliver basic social services, in particular education and public health services, and to promote development, Welcoming the continuous return of refugees and internally displaced persons, in a voluntary and sustainable manner, while noting with concern that conditions in parts of Afghanistan are not yet conducive to safe and sustainable returns to some places of origin, Recognizing that underdevelopment and lack of capacity increase the vulnerability of Afghanistan to natural disasters and to harsh climate conditions, Expressing its appreciation for the work of the provincial reconstruction teams and of the executive steering committee, Deeply concerned about the increased cultivation and production of narcotic drugs in Afghanistan, as well as the drug trafficking and the increasingly strong nexus between the drug trade and terrorist activities by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist groups, which are undermining stability and security as well as the political and economic reconstruction of Afghanistan and have dangerous repercussions in the region and far beyond, and commending the reaffirmed commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to rid the country of this pernicious production and trade, including by decisive law enforcement measures, Recalling the updated National Drug Control Strategy, 6 and recognizing that the social and economic development of Afghanistan, specifically the development of alternative gainful and sustainable livelihoods in the formal productive sector, is an important element of the successful implementation of the Strategy and depends _______________ 5 6 4 S/2006/105, annex. S/2006/106, annex.