At the Brussels conference on Afghanistan on Wednesday 5 October, the international community will seek to confirm financial support for the country of $4 billion per year for the period 2016-2020.
One of the goals of the conference, which will bring together over 70 countries and 25 international organisations and agencies, will be to maintain international funding at its current level or something close to the level approved by the Tokyo conference in 2012, when it agreed on annual support of $4 billion per year until 2016.
Thus far, over €3 billion per year has been promised in aid for 2016-2020, according to a high-ranking European official. Some delegations will await the last moment before stating how much they will contribute. The EU will maintain its development assistance of €200 million annually, as announced by the Foreign Affairs Council in May. The EU and its member states contribute €1 billion per year and this sum is expected to continue, the official said.
The international community also wants to improve the effectiveness of its aid to support Afghanistan’s new national development framework, for example, by working more through the state budget and less through intermediaries, according to the same source.
And, in terms of finance, the EU will go further. On the eve of the conference, European International Cooperation and Development Commissioner Neven Mimica and Afghan Finance Minister Eklil Ahmad Hakimi will sign a “support for state building” contract worth €200 million over two years from 2017. This European funding will provide the Afghan government with sufficient leeway in its budget to allow it to finance its own development priorities and strategic policies.
Reaffirming long-term commitment
The conference on Afghanistan will also provide the opportunity to discuss political and development issues, take stock of the reforms implemented by the Afghan government and redefine goals until 2020.
“The conference is taking place at a time when Afghanistan is showing its determination to push ahead with its ambitious reforms”, while still having to cope with political, security and economic challenges, the high-ranking official said. He added that the international community had to act responsibly and confirm its commitment to provide lasting financial and political support.
One of the objectives of the meeting is, then, to agree a renewed partnership on state building and institution strengthening by means of the implementation of a raft of reforms established by the Afghan government. The conference could also bring about the support of regional partners for a political process that would seek to secure peace and put in place cross-border economic cooperation.
Two conferences will take place on Monday 4 October, one on the emancipation of women and the other on regional integration and prosperity.
Increased cooperation on migration issues
On Friday 30 September, the EU delegation in Kabul was due to sign a joint future action on migration. This action will reflect the shared commitment of the EU and the Afghan government to increase cooperation on dealing with and preventing irregular migration, and on the return of irregular migrants who do not meet the conditions for remaining in the EU. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)