Brussels, 26/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Friday, the European Commission announced a series of measures worth over €600 million for Afghanistan. The package, which will be presented at the Troika ministerial meeting between the EU and Afghanistan in Berlin on 29 January has three priority areas for 2007-2010, following on from previous efforts: reform of the justice sector; rural development including alternatives to poppy production; and health.
Until now Commission assistance has been directed at funding the wages of the Afghan police, the construction and repair of some 120 clinics, improving medical cover for the people of the country, small infrastructure projects and public services. Having already contributed over €1 billion between 2002 and 2006, “The EU is keeping its promises to Afghanistan,” said External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who will take part in the meeting next Monday. “Afghanistan's problems cannot be solved without stronger governance and respect for the rule of law. The key challenges are to extend the Government's authority into the provinces, and to stamp out narcotics production which destabilises the country politically and economically,” she went on.
With the new raft of measures, the Commission intends to continue to contribute to the wages and training needs of the Afghan police (€135 million since 2002). It will also launch a new programme of support to the justice sector and will place experts in key justice institutions (Ministry of Justice, Supreme Court and Attorney General's office) to draw up a major programme of reforms in the judiciary and legal services in Afghanistan. The aim will be to improve the qualifications, recruitment, and career structure for judges and prosecutors and to introduce a code of ethics. Emphasis will also be placed on extending the rule of law in the provinces. In the east and north-east of the country, the Commission will continue to support programmes to reduce poppy dependence through developing alternative livelihoods, and prevent its return to areas where it has been abandoned. With the World Bank and the US, the Commission will continue to focus on provision of primary health services to lift the coverage of basic health services from around 75% at present to near 100% by the end of 2010. (ab)