KABUL - By Afghan tradition, on the 40th day after the death of four United Nations staff in a terrorist attack on a restaurant in the Afghan capital, Kabul, the UN staff remembered their colleagues in a brief memorial ceremony held at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) office today.

The Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, Mark Bowden unveiled a plaque in the memory of lost colleagues and comrades.

“It is very fitting occasion for us to come to terms with our grief over the loss of our colleagues and I am sure that for those who are here the memories of our lost colleagues are very close and very important,” said Mr. Bowden in his statement on the occasion.

The Deputy Special-Representative said that it was a considerable loss not only to the UN but also to Afghanistan because all of them in their own ways contributed considerably to the future of Afghanistan and made the ultimate sacrifice.

The participant of the memorial, including UNAMA colleagues, representative of UNICEF and the World Bank, spent a moment in contemplation of the lives of their lost colleagues and their contribution to the work of the United Nations in Afghanistan.

The UN staff, who were killed in the Taliban attack on the La Taverna du Liban restaurant on 17 January 2014, included Vadim Nazarov (Russian Federation), a Senior Political Officer (UNAMA); Basra Hassan (United States), a Nutrition Specialist with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF); Dr. Nasreen Khan (Pakistan), a Health Specialist with UNICEF; and Wabel Abdallah (Lebanon), the Resident Representative of an UN-affiliated specialized agency, the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Besides UN personnel, 17 others also lost their lives in the attack involving a suicide bomber and gunmen, for which the Taliban claimed responsibility. The victims included both Afghans and foreigners from a range of countries and international organizations.

In today’s memorial, Vidya Ganesh, Deputy Representative of UNICEF noted that the families of deceased UN staff in their messages said that “we could best honour the memories by keeping their work alive.”

“All of them believed that they were here for a purpose and their mission was more important for them than anything else,” said Ms. Ganesh.

The cowardly attack on the popular Kabul restaurant took place at a time of the important political and security transition in Afghanistan as the country prepares for the Presidential and Provincial Council elections, slated for 5 April. The Presidential poll will mark the transfer of power from one elected president to another for the first time in the country’s history.

While Afghan institutions are fully in the lead in conducting, administering, adjudicating and securing the polls, the United Nations has been asked to support them in ensuring credible, inclusive and fair elections. UNAMA also provides, at the request of the Government, capacity-building and technical assistance to Afghan independent electoral bodies.

The political transition coincides with a security transition as Afghan security forces have taken up security responsibility from their international allies, who are ending their combat mission by the end of this year.