EU Presidency Statement - The situation in Afghanistan

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the associated countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, as well as the EFTA country member of the European Economic Area, Iceland, declare that they align themselves with this statement.

Mr. President,

Despite the remarkable progress, which has been achieved in Afghanistan since the Bonn Agreement, significant challenges remain.

The EU commends the efforts made so far by President Karzai's Government to implement the Agreement and stands firm in its commitment to assist the Afghan administration to this end. We also support the UN - and in particular Mr. Brahimi - in its important tasks in this country. In this respect, there is also a special role for the Special Representative of the EU in Afghanistan, Francesc Vendrell.

Nevertheless, a lot remains to be done to ensure viable and lasting peace and security. Post-conflict resolution always represents a tremendous challenge. Even more so in Afghanistan which is one of the poorest countries in the world. It has been through over twenty years of war, strife and natural disaster. It is essential that the international community fully participates in the economic and institutional reconstruction of the country and fully supports the political process which underlines the reconstruction. The signing of the Kabul declaration on good neighbourly relations in December last year has also emphasized the importance of peaceful and constructive regional cooperation.

The lack of security continues to be an issue of grave concern. We deplore the loss of lives as the ones suffered recently by two European countries, Spain and Germany, in the conduct of the activities of their troops under ISAF.

As a contribution to this vital sector, many EU Member States play a key role in the deployment of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the bulk of which is comprised of troops by the EU countries and which has significantly improved the security situation in and around Kabul.

EU Member States are also actively participating in efforts to reform the Afghan security sector, through the strengthening of the Afghan national army and police, including anti-narcotic units and border police, as well as judicial training and reform. The security sector reform, including restructuring of the Ministries of Defence and Interior, and the Intelligence Agencies, is of utmost importance for the viability of the forthcoming DDR-process, which is to begin in July 2003.

Another important challenge is making newly and already established institutions work in an efficient, transparent and accountable manner and to expand their influence to the provinces. The European Union has a long term commitment to assist in the creation of a viable Afghan state based on democracy, rule of law and universal standards of human rights, including women's rights. To this end the EU underlines its support for the work of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission.

In this regard, it is noted that the future viability of the Afghan State will to a large degree depend on its Government being broad based and fully representative and recognized as such by a majority of the Afghan people. The impending Constitutional Loya Jirga process, which will lead to a new Constitution being adopted in October, and the national elections to be held at the latest in June 2004, will be of fundamental importance for the political future of Afghanistan. The EU stresses the importance it attaches to the preparations for the new Afghan Constitution and the holding of full and democratic elections in Afghanistan, as set out in the Bonn Agreement. This new Afghan Constitution should be the cornerstone for the development of such a democratic Afghan society. The EU strongly supports the role of the UN in the preparations for the elections and underlines that it is important that the process leading towards these elections is sustained.

Mr. President,

The EU is fully committed to delivering a substantial contribution to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, having been one of the key donors from the very beginning of the process. The total EU commitment (Member States plus the Commission) for 2002 was about 850 million euros. To date 800 million euros have been disbursed. EU pledges for 2002-2006 are $ 2.25 billion or approximately 45% of total pledges made at the January 2002 donor conference in Tokyo. The EU has funded approximately 1/3 of the current budget expenses of the Afghan Government, thereby directly supporting the budget for teachers, nurses, police, administrators and government infrastructure.

EU Member States have taken leading roles in crucial areas of administrative and technical assistance. The European Commission has also provided technical recovery and reconstruction assistance with emphasis on public sector reform and budgetary support, rural development and food security, rebuilding infrastructure (in particular the Kabul-Jalalabad-Torkham road) and basic health care.

The EU notes the serious lack of funds for the budget and urges donors to consider ways of filling the gap, including delivery in a timely manner of pledges made in Tokyo. The EU encourages the allocation of development aid in a way that strengthens the role of the central government and ensures that a visible peace dividend soon reaches the entire Afghan population as soon as possible.

In addition to its leading role in the reconstruction effort, the European Union is a major source of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. EU contributions through 2002 total $650 million and span programs from food aid (through the World Food Programme) to emergency health, water and sanitation services (through the UN and NGOs).

Mr. President,

Besides the immediate tasks of stabilization and reconstruction, one of the key aims of the EU assistance to Afghanistan is to improve the availability and access to food and promote alternatives to poppy production.

The European Union strongly believes that drug production and trafficking undermines development efforts, destabilizes political systems, engenders corruption, fuels organized crime and might even finance terrorist activities. The smuggling of opiates and cannabis undermines the economic and social stability of countries and jeopardizes peace and security in the region as a whole.

We are committed to coordinating our assistance with the United Kingdom who is leading international counter-narcotics efforts to support the Government of Afghanistan to eliminate the cultivation, processing and trafficking of opiates. We also recognize that the international efforts to tackle the drug problem involves both development concerns and priorities, demand reduction and the strengthening of law enforcement capabilities. We should also need to focus on the drug routes, since the drug fight must be geographically comprehensive and address simultaneously the problems of production, trafficking and consumption on all points of the routes along which drugs move from producers to consumers.

We stress the need for intensified cooperation with the Government of Afghanistan in implementing the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy. We should also assist in transforming Afghanistan's economy to a normally functioning one, away from drugs. Mainstreaming of the drug fight into coherent and sustainable development policies in producing and trafficking countries should be a priority. Drugs must be dealt with as part of a broader set of development and human welfare issues, which include both poverty reduction and public health considerations.

Mr. President,

The international community needs to redouble their efforts to assist the Afghan Government in carrying out its commitment to uphold international law and offer its long-suffering people a better future.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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• The European Union and Afghanistan (30/3/2004)