The head of government was accompanied by the defense minister and by the US Ambassador to Romania, Mark Gitenstein. The delegation visited military bases in the south and south west of Afghanistan, the most dangerous area of the country, where most of the Romanian contingent operates. Victor Ponta thanked the troops for what they are doing there:

“You are highly appreciated, we are proud of what you have done and are doing here. All the congratulations received by Romanian officials in Washington or Brussels are, in fact, thanks to you”.

The head of government was brought up to date with the stage of operations in the main missions Romanian troops are involved in, with how they cooperate with other coalition forces and their local partners, the Afghan security forces. There was also a presentation of the military technology used by the troops on the ground. In Kandahar, the delegation met the commanding officer of ISAF South, US Major-General James Huggins. They discussed the special collaboration between the Romanian soldiers and their ISAF partners.

At present, the Romanian contingent in Afghanistan is around 1,800 strong, and takes part in field operations, liaison, monitoring and logistics operation, and as part of the general staff. They are present mostly in Zabul, but also in Kandahar, Baghram and Kabul, joined by a few dozen gendarmes training the national police. Romania could contribute as much as half a million dollars in the future, for equipping and training the Afghan national army. It is the sixth most generous donor in ISAF after the US, the UK, Germany, France and Poland. In the ten years it has been there, Romania lost 20 of its soldiers, with dozens of others wounded.