The UN Security Council on Tuesday strongly condemned the recent upsurge of violence in Afghanistan and emphasized the importance of an upcoming London conference that will unveil a new framework for the country's development.

"No terrorist acts can reverse the paths toward peace and reconstruction," the council president, Tanzanian Ambassador Augustine P. Mahiga, told reporters after a council meeting on Afghanistan.

The London conference on Afghanistan, due on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, will launch a new Afghan compact "to provide a solid framework for the next stage of reconstruction," he said.

During the closed-door meeting, the outgoing senior UN envoy to Afghanistan, Jean Arnault, briefed the council on the latest situation in the country. He said the recent violence was a reminder of "the magnitude of the outstanding tasks in the consolidation of peace in Afghanistan."

The past week has seen a series of deadly attacks in Afghanistan, one of which claimed the life of a Canadian reconstruction official on Sunday.

"Violence and threats against local officials, religious leaders and schools continue and intensify, particularly in the south and southeast (of Afghanistan)," Arnault said.

He urged the international community to remain committed to helping Afghanistan, saying much has been achieved in recent years though, the challenges ahead remain great.

Source: Xinhua