Summary: 30 March 2009, Brussels - European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner will participate in the International Conference on Afghanistan: A Comprehensive Strategy, in The Hague on 31 March. This high level conference aims at injecting new vigor into common efforts and to strengthen international and regional cooperation in support of the Afghan population. The conference will focus in particular on the upcoming elections, governance and institution building as well as setting priorities for economic growth and development. Furthermore, the Conference will look at aid effectiveness and Afghanistan's political and economic reform agenda.
The European Commission's long standing commitment to Afghanistan will be confirmed in The Hague and Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner will be able to announce the commitment of some additional €60 million to support Afghanistan's elections, the Afghan police and food security. This will be supplementary to the funding of €700 million already available for the period 2007 - 2010.
Prior to the meeting, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said: "It is important that this International Conference on Afghanistan takes place at this crucial point in time and that we give a new impetus to our long standing commitment to Afghanistan. Undeniable gains have already been brought to the Afghan population through social, economic, and infrastructure development cooperation with the international community. However a lot remains to be done to further improve the security and living
standard for most Afghans. That is why the Commission will increase its contribution for the elections' preparation, the police and the agricultural sector in a magnitude of €60mio over the next two years. During the years to come we will naturally continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Afghan government."
Since the fall of the Taliban the Commission has continuously proven its long term commitment to help Afghanistan build a more secure and prosperous future. It has committed €1.6 bn since 2002 and disbursed 1.2. The Commission remains one of the main donors in Afghanistan and one of the very few that provide a multi-year commitment focussing its programmes on rural development, health as well as justice reform. Furthermore, the funding for LOTFA (Law and Order Trust Fund Afghanistan, police
salaries and training) and ARTF (Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, governance notably in the provinces) continues. Additional funding of around €60 million for 2009-2010 is now foreseen to provide extra support for the elections in 2009 (€20 mio.), for police (€15 mio.) and for rural development (€24 mio.).
Background
The Afghan National Development Strategy and the Afghanistan Compact provide the framework for co-operation between the Afghan government and the international community. The Afghanistan Compact covers a five-year period (to end-2010) and sets out mutual commitments, detailed benchmarks and timelines across four crucial areas: (1) security; (2) governance, rule of law and human rights; (3) economic and social development; and (4) counter-narcotics. It emphasizes increased Afghan 'ownership' and
'leadership' and includes provisions on increasing the effectiveness of international assistance.
Rule of Law
As the largest donor to the LOTFA (€265 million committed for period 2002-10), the Commission continues to be a major contributor to salaries and training needs of the Afghan police.
The Commission has launched a programme supporting the justice sector to improve qualification, recruitment, and career structure for judges and prosecutors and to introduce an ethics code.
These activities complement the ESDP mission EUPOL Afghanistan on policing deployed by Member States in 2007.
In addition the Commission supports capacity building in local and regional administration, aiming at increasing the focus on rule of law in the provinces.
Furthermore, nearly €50 million of EC aid were invested in the development of major border crossing posts at the border with Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. These facilities have significantly improved customs and border management and are already generating increased revenue from custom duties to the Afghan budget.
Rural Development
The Commission supports rural development programmes in north eastern and eastern Afghanistan, to reduce poppy dependence through alternative livelihoods. Despite an overall increase in opium cultivation since 2007, there are encouraging signs of sustained reduction in the Northeast where the Commission has been active.
Health
As one of the three key donors to the health sector (with the World Bank and the US) Commission programmes continue to focus on provision of primary health services and secondary health care. The aim is to lift the coverage of basic health services from around 80% at present to near 100% by the end of 2010 through training of medical staff and rebuilding of health clinics.
More information at:
http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/afghanistan/intro/index.htm
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