AFGHANISTAN: The world's most powerful nations yesterday pledged almost $3 billion to start the long process of rebuilding Afghanistan's shattered country and economy.
While the money promised will help get Afghanistan on its feet in the short term, it appears to fall short of the estimated $15 billion which aid organisations and experts say will be required for the devastated country over the next decade.
The EU, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the US unveiled their financial commitments at the start of the Afghanistan reconstruction conference in Tokyo attended by representatives of more than 60 countries and international organisations, including Ireland.
The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, said that $10 billion was needed over the next five years for Afghanistan. "That is the estimated cost of reconstruction, and it is that sum we hope will be pledged at this conference," he said.
Announcing Japan's pledge of $500 million, the Prime Minister, Mr Junichiro Koizumi, said the people Afghanistan are also victims of the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
"Even before September 11th Afghanistan was one of the world's poorest countries. Life expectancy is 44 years, one in four children dies before age five, and only three in 100 girls are enrolled in primary school. Clean water is a luxury.
The US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, told the conference the US would provide $296 million in aid this fiscal year and promised more in later years.
"President Bush has made it clear that the United States will not abandon Afghanistan," Mr Powell said. "We, as the international community, must not fail them."
The European Commission pledged €200 million ($177 million) this year and said it aimed to provide a total of €1 billion over the next five years.
The pledge is in addition to separate commitments of €300 million by the 15 EU members. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, representing Ireland at the conference, announced the Government would pledge €12 million to Afghanistan.
The EU Commission's pledge was made by the External Relations Commissioner, Mr Chris Patten, who said the commission hoped to provide a comparable sum in each of the next four years.
Saudi Arabia, a former ally of the Taliban, promised $220 million over three years.
The World Bank is to propose to its shareholders that $500 million in concessional aid for Afghanistan be given over the next 2½ years, with immediate action to provide an extra $50-$70 million in grants.
The interim Afghan leader, Mr Hamid Karzai, told the gathering of international donors they risked undermining his administration unless they swiftly started aiding a country, he said, had been reduced to a wasteland.
Dressed in his trademark Afghan robe, Mr Karzai promised that his government would use the money wisely and meet two of the international community's main concerns by cracking down on opium production and addressing the needs of women.
"I stand before you today as the citizen of a country that has had nothing but disaster, war, brutality and deprivation against its people for so many years," he said.
Mr Karzai put his government's expenses at $1.8 billion to $2 billion for the year starting in March, and warned the administration would rapidly lose credibility among Afghans if it could not pay its staff or deliver services to the people.