Following the NATO summit in Warsaw on 8-9 July, where security arrangements for Afghanistan were made, and ahead of the donors conference for Afghanistan to be held in Brussels on 5 October, European expectations for this meeting are high in terms of stabilising Afghanistan, implementing the national development programme, regional cooperation, and partnership for development cooperation for the country.
Representatives from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and European Commission presented these expectations to MEPs in the European Parliament's sub-committee on security and defence, in Brussels on Tuesday 30 August.
The Brussels donors conference for Afghanistan, after those in Bonn, Tokyo and London, is expected to enable 70 partner organisations (including 23 international organisations) and 44 countries ready to support Afghanistan to provide additional efforts in return for reforms.
"Afghanistan is off the radar for some due to the serious crises in its close or more distant neighbourhood. It's a hotbed of tension to be stabilised. The government needs to be offered a future, conditions need to be created that will enable it best to be helped", Gunnar Weigand, the EEAS managing director for Asia and the Pacific stated.
The conference will include an economic cooperation plank and a women's empowerment plank.
Although progress has been made in Afghanistan, it is not irreversible. Poverty remains very high, women's and children's rights are a source of major concern, the government of national unity only ensures control of two thirds of the territory, the security situation remains of concern, the country is suffering a decrease in economic activity, and the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has resulted in a loss of jobs. The government's budget is 30% financed by donors. "We would like to establish a contract that will provide a margin of budgetary manoeuvre and to plan moving towards more autonomy", Weigand stated.
A dialogue on migration will take place on Tuesday 4 October, ahead of the donors conference. "We would like to sign a roadmap for the readmission of migrants, and we hope to sign a cooperation partnership at the conference", he said.
The international community's support will be based on the principle of being held to account, in terms of reforms - especially electoral reform, which must be accompanied by an electoral timetable, and constitutional reform. As regards financial commitments, the conference could bring together nearly $3 billion per year for 2017-2020, according to forecasts.
The EU's contribution would remain unchanged: it would like to maintain its level of financing at around €200 million per year until 2020. The EU hopes the non-traditional partners, such as the Gulf countries and China, will commit, but it is not currently sure that Japan will commit, Pierre Amilhat, a Commission representative from DG International Cooperation and Development, stated.
"We would like to obtain a framework for development and peace in Afghanistan. This would be the cornerstone of the country's development policy and will enable commitments from the international community to be justified", the representative said. The document that has been put together for this, in close cooperation with the Afghan authorities, is due to be finalised at a meeting in Kabul next week, the Commission hopes. It will contain a list of indicators that will enable the respective obligations to be discussed, and will cover a dozen long-term programmes in line with the national priorities.
"We are hoping for a roadmap on the managment of public financing and on four programmes: the citizens' charter (universal access to basic services), an urban development plan, the empowerment of women, and the development of infrastructure." A priority programme for agriculture will also be of importance.
The EU says it will hold a strategic dialogue with Pakistan on the sidelines of the conference, as part of the political support for Afghanistan. The dialogue will call for regional cooperation. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)