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EU assistance to Afghanistan in 2002

Today world leaders return to Petersberg to pay tribute to the progress made in Afghanistan and to discuss the challenges that lie ahead. This follows their historic meeting almost a year ago, where the Bonn Agreement set the milestones for moving towards a stable and democratically elected Government in Afghanistan by 2004. In January 2002, The Commission pledged about € 1 billion over five years in support of the Bonn Agreement. Over €205 million will be spent this year on helping to rebuild Afghanistan. This is in addition to over € 70 million of humanitarian relief from ECHO. If the funds committed by Member States are included, then the EU will spend over € 830 million in Afghanistan this year. By early October, almost €520 million had already been disbursed. The Commission's assistance is making a real difference to the daily lives of the population. Early achievements include the financing of hundreds of health clinics and primary schools, clearance of landmines, return of key public service workers, creation of jobs, rebuilding of infrastructure, clean up operations in 7 cities, and support for the return of refugees.

• The financing of 238 health clinics. This figure is set to double in 2003, as the EC will be helping the government to deliver health services to some 3 million people, and reduce the unacceptably high levels of child and maternal mortality;
  
  
• The operation of over 450 primary schools as part of the Government's Back to School campaign in 2002, which has been particularly significant for girls previously excluded from the education system.
  
  
• The clearance of landmines and unexploded bombs from more than 8000 square kilometers of land. This has removed the threat of injury from roughly 150,000 individuals in existing communities and has facilitated the return of roughly 180,000 refugees. The EC also funded the legal preparation and then conference for the Afghan Government's accession to the 1997 Ottawa Convention on the Use and Destruction of Anti-Personnel Mines. We are fully committed to the government target of ridding Afghanistan of this insidious hang-over from the war;
  
  
• The return of some 17,000 key public sector workers (costs amounting to around 10% of the government's recurrent budget) including the return to service of over 2,000 teachers and 2,000 nurses and doctors. This is essential if Afghans are to receive the basic services they deserve, and the EC intends to continue this support in 2003.
  
  
• The creation of jobs. Through our rural recovery and urban rehabilitation programmes, we are financing over 3 million person days of work this year alone. This will enable Afghans to restart their lives and inject cash into the economy and fuel recovery. Providing alternative income sources is essential to tackle opium poppy production. In 2002, roughly €40 million of Commission support will be directed to those areas affected by poppy production.
  
  
• The rebuilding of the infrastructure. The EC, along with the Swedish government and Pakistan has already started the emergency rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Kabul-Jalalabad-Torkham road. Full reconstruction will start next year. The EC, Germany and the World Bank are financing the reconstruction of the electricity network for Kabul.
  
  
• The clean up of seven cities around Afghanistan, preventing diseases like cholera, creating jobs and helping municipalities and communities to start delivering basic services again. This covers Herat, Mazar, Kabul, Kandahar, Jalalabad, Bamyan and Ghazni.
  
  
• Our Humanitarian Aid has helped to support the return of over 1.7 million refugees to Afghanistan, as well as mitigating the ongoing effects of drought - especially in the south. Over €70 million will be spent by European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) in 2002, including €14.5 million to the UNHCR. This strong and continued support will help refugees through the coming winter, by providing adequate shelter, and food, through our recent food aid cash contribution of €15 million towards the World Food Programme's Afghan EMOP is Emergency Operation Plan (EMOP) appeal.

Background

The Petersberg conference of December 2001 set the milestones for Afghanistan's return to democratic government. Today's meeting will review the advances made since Petersberg 1, including the holding of the Loya Jirga this summer, and will consider the steps necessary for future progress, before elections in the summer of 2004.

International donor effort has been crucial in underpinning the constitutional reforms and physical reconstruction of Afghanistan.

The conference will be hosted by Germany, which has invited representatives from the European Commission and the governments of Afghanistan, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Finland, Greece, Great Britain, Inida, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakstan, Kirghistan, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Tadjikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, USA, and Uzbekistan.


For further information:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/afghanistan/intro/index.htm

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