Brussels, 29/07/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has approved a further EUR 9 million package to support Afghanistan during the elections to be held in October (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.4).
The funds, to be allocated from the Community budget, will contribute to financing a project managed by the United Nations at the request of President Hamid Karzai. The European Union is the leading fund provider for the project. The decision takes to EUR 24 million the Commission's contribution to elections in Afghanistan (it had already contributed to the preparation of a ballot by financing voter registration procedures) and to EUR 80 million the total EU contribution (Commission plus Member States).
Support for the elections comes within the overall EU aid effort for the country's reconstruction. With 300 million in 2003 and 245 million committed for 2004, the EU will largely exceed the pledge made at the Donors' Conference (Tokyo, January 2002) to mobilise EUR 400 million for Afghanistan over the 2003-2004 period.