THE EU AND AFGHANISTAN

Transcription

1 EU BLUE BOOK 2009 THE EU AND AFGHANISTAN November 2009 AUSTRIA BELGIUM BULGARIA CYPRUS CZECH REPUBLIC DENMARK ESTONIA FINLAND FRANCE GERMANY GREECE HUNGARY IRELAND ITALY LATVIA LITHUANIA LUXEMBOURG MALTA POLAND PORTUGAL ROMANIA SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA THE NETHERLANDS SPAIN SWEDEN UNITED KINGDOM EUROPEAN COMMISSION

2 You can find this booklet and other publications on EU activities in Afghanistan online at: For queries please contact: European Union Delegation of the European Commission to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Press & Political Section Meghna Singh Tel: +93 (0) /05/06

3 Foreword The intention of this "Blue Book" is to provide information on the contributions of the EU Member States and the European Commission to development assistance to Afghanistan. Similar exercises have previously been carried out in other parts of the world, but this one holds special significance. The struggle to improve aid effectiveness has become a growing priority for both donors and beneficiaries both in institution-building and in the fight against poverty. The Blue Book is designed to set out concisely the facts and figures illustrating the level and diversity of EU ODA. It aims to present a broad picture of EU activities in Afghanistan. We hope that the Book will not only give the reader an insight into the collective activities undertaken by the EU but will also serve as a basis for enhanced coordination, complementarity and division of labour between the Government, EU donors and the international donor community. This is an issue which will be debated by EU Foreign Ministers as the Union prepares its contribution to the next stage of Afghanistan's development. Finally, we wish to thank all those who have helped to prepare this publication and hope it will be of interest.

4 Table of Contents I. The EU and Afghanistan European engagement: From Bonn to The Hague Afghanistan: Recent trends EU Reconstruction and Development Cooperation Rule of Law Promoting Democracy and Human Rights Table of EU ODA in Afghanistan Map of Europe Map of Afghanistan II. EU Donor Profiles European Commission Belgium Bulgaria Czech Republic Denmark Germany Estonia Ireland Greece Spain France Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Hungary Netherlands Austria Poland Portugal Romania Slovenia Slovakia Finland Sweden United Kingdom

5 I. The EU and Afghanistan

6 I. The EU and Afghanistan The Blue Book provides an overview of where we are in October It is also to be noted that the EU's assistance to Afghanistan takes place against the backcloth of a rapidly evolving political and security situation has seen a sharp rise in insurgent activity, while ISAF's campaign to regain territory has led to increased losses. Assistance programmes can only be successfully delivered if the security conditions allow. At the same time the international community has made clear, following the Presidential elections in August, that the new Afghan administration must be seen as both credible and legitimate; any programme based on enhancing Afghan ownership, as the EU's is, depends on partnership with an effective and reliable administration, both at national and subnational level. It also depends on excellent cooperation between the donors, with closer coordination inside the EU facilitating UNAMA's task of overall coordination within the international community. This will be one of the principal challenges that EU Ministers will be debating in the coming months. European engagement - from Bonn to The Hague Active EU engagement in the development of Afghanistan dates back to 2001, when the Taliban government was toppled. In December, the Council decided to appoint an EU Special Representative and at the same time, a decision to set up a Delegation of the European Commission to Afghanistan was taken. The office was fully established the following year. The Commission had already had a presence in Afghanistan since the mid 1980s, with an EC support office in Kabul followed by an ECHO office in Both offices had moved to, and operated over the border from Peshawar during the Taliban period. Since the Bonn Conference in December 2001, which set out the political framework for the newly established provisional government of Afghanistan, a series of conferences have taken place which have addressed specific aspects of the situation in Afghanistan and the international community's ongoing engagement. These events have provided a framework for the evolving EU engagement in Afghanistan. Indeed, apart from those in Tokyo, all the major donor conferences on Afghanistan have been hosted by European countries. Thus, the Tokyo Conference in January 2002 focused on the reconstruction of Afghanistan in the immediate aftermath of the conflict and provided an opportunity for the EU and the rest of the international community to demonstrate long term commitment to the country. This was followed by a second conference in Tokyo in February 2003 where the aim was to consolidate the peace process by promoting a process of Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR). At Berlin in April 2004, a work-plan for the Afghan Government was endorsed by the EU and the international community. The plan covered among other things the elections in 2004 and the implementation of the Bonn Agreement. Following the Bonn Agreement, the EU deepened its political dialogue with the Government of Afghanistan. A number of high level visits were made to Afghanistan by the High Representative Javier Solana and the Commissioner for External Relations Benita- Ferrero-Waldner during President Karzai and senior Afghan ministers also visited Brussels the same year and in November 2005, the first EU- Afghanistan Joint Declaration was signed in Strasbourg. The Declaration highlighted the areas where the EU and Afghan Government would work in partnership in furthering development and countering the threats from terrorism, organised crime and extremism. At the London Conference, in January 2006, the emphasis shifted from what was essentially a political framework to establishment of a broader governance and development agenda, set out in the new Afghanistan Compact. The aim of the Compact was to serve as an agreement between the Afghan Government and the international community on how the work on governance and 2

7 development should proceed over the next five years and to highlight what was required in terms of undertakings on the Afghan side to take forward key reforms. Linked to the Compact was the (then interim) Afghan National Development Strategy (ANDS) which was linked to and reinforced elements of the Compact, particularly in the development sphere. In July 2006 and 2007, further conferences were held in Tokyo and Rome respectively which addressed aspects of the stabilisation process in Afghanistan. In Tokyo, the focus was once again on the consolidation of the peace process in Afghanistan, with Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) as well as on the process of Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) being highlighted. It was clear from Tokyo that whilst some progress had been made, there was still along way to go in terms of realising the targets set in the Compact. A year later, in Rome, the international community and Afghan Government agreed a new programme for justice reform which was to give the framework for future donor activities in the sector. At the same time, a reform agenda was agreed with the Afghan authorities that would underpin donors' efforts in helping build up a more professionalised and widely accessible formal justice system. The conference in Paris in June 2008 marked a new commitment on the part of the EU and the wider international community to work more closely together under Afghan leadership to support the finalised Afghanistan National Development Strategy ( ). Whilst reaffirming that the Afghanistan Compact would remain the basic framework, priority was to be given to strengthening institutions and economic growth, particularly in the agricultural and energy sectors. Finally, at la Celle St Cloud in December 2005 and The Hague in March 2009, the regional aspects of Afghanistan were brought more into focus. In particular, the regional dynamic with Pakistan was underlined as a priority with donors acknowledging that greater efforts needed to be made in addressing the governance and development challenges on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Shortly afterwards, in June 2009 the mandate of the EU Special Representative was extended to include 3

8 Afghanistan: Recent trends Politically, Afghanistan has entered an intense period of change with difficult Presidential elections in August 2009 and Parliamentary elections due in The formation of a new government will be a crucial next step in achieving some degree of political stability. The Afghan Parliament continues to work, but has not yet been able to exercise its functions as effectively as had been hoped; this results from the voting system of the 2005 elections which has prevented significant political party development. Afghanistan's security situation has worsened drastically: for the period January to August 2009, there have already been 1,500 civilian deaths, an increase from 2008 which saw a total of 1,200 deaths for the year. Insurgents systematically target government representatives and the international community and have extended their reach to hitherto quiet areas, including the capital, Kabul. Following the expansion and intensification of engagement by the international military forces, 2009 has seen more attacks and further spreading of the conflict in hitherto relatively calm areas, including the northern regions. The current insecurity is due to a combination of factors including corruption fuelled by the illegal trade in drugs, gems and weapons and a strengthened insurgency. Security sector reform remains the central challenge for the government and its international partners in achieving the essential enabling environment for improved governance and rule of law and for laying the foundations for sustained economic and social development. Overall, UN human indicators for Afghanistan remain extremely low with still around 50 per cent of the population subsisting on under EUR 9.50 (USD 14) a month and a further 20 per cent more just above this poverty line. Infant and mater nal mortality rates are still amongst the worst in the world, despite notable improvements since The state of the economy has taken a downward turn after a period of growth from A drought and worsening security reduced economic growth down to 3 percent in 2008/09 (from an average of 10 percent in recent years). In terms of government finances, tax revenue collection has been adversely affected by the slowdown in economic growth and weak governance structures. Continued efforts in this area will be required to put Afghanistan on a credible path toward fiscal sustainability and reduced dependence on aid. EU Reconstruction and Development Cooperation After 2001 in Afghanistan, the EU embarked upon one of its largest development programmes. Following the pledges made in the different international conferences over EUR billion (USD 6.5 billion) EU assistance has been committed, of which 5 billion had been disbursed as reported in the latest available donor review of the Ministry of Finance (end of 2008). This represents one fifth of the ODA received by Afghanistan between 2002 and A quarter of the budget consists of Community funding managed through the EC Delegation in Kabul, the remaining combines the bilateral contributions from the Member States. For several EU countries their bilateral programmes represent some of their most important aid operations world-wide. Apart from the traditional EU donors, there is also a significant presence from the new Member States. The actual average annual disbursement of EU assistance for Afghanistan is estimated EUR 949 million or EUR million (USD 1.4 billion). Table1 (page 8) provides a breakdown by individual Member States and Commission according to the allocation of funds to the principal sectors as 1 1. This figure is derived from the annual average of realised and projected disbursement for a reference period (mainly 2-3 years for most EU donors). This method was adopted as it allows better adjusting to the different budgetary cycles of each of the donors and minimises biases due to differences in definitions. 4

9 distinguished in the Afghan National Development Strategy (ANDS). Nearly half the EU support (47%) is oriented towards Governance, Rule of Law and Security. This covers a vast area of reinforcing the Government revenue and budget management capacity including a substantial contribution to the administrative reform process and payment of salaries of civil servants through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) and of police officers through the Law and Order Trust Fund (LOTFA). Other major interventions are support to the Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial and District Council elections, establishment and strengthening of sub-national governance structures, reform of the judicial system and counter narcotics. working with the US and World Bank on provision of primary health services. The fourth main area of intervention combines Most contributions in the 20% share for rural development and agriculture are in support of community development and public infrastructure at district and village levels through the National Solidarity Programme (NSP) and other national priority programmes managed by the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Rural Development. Following the recent shift in recognition of the economic potential as also in response to the global food crisis, there is a now growing and widening support for the improvement of agriculture production and irrigation. Similar amounts (19%) go to the combined social sectors including education, health and social protection. The relative share for the social sectors would be higher if all humanitarian aid were included in this category. The Commission is the most significant European donor in the health sector, support to private sector development and construction of major infrastructure (12%). The UK, European Commission and Germany are the largest European donors, accounting for 57% of the annual EU aid. All have significant teams of specialised development experts in the country, though in the case of Germany spread over its 3 main implementing agencies rather than centrally attached to the embassy as is the case for DFID or the EC Delegation. Another 7 countries including Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, France, Finland and Spain contribute together 36% of the annual EU budget, most of them having small teams dedicated to aid management in their embassies in Kabul. The EU has been a strong supporter of better aid alignment, which for the block as a whole is also reflected in the high scores attributed in the OECD 2008 Aid Effectiveness survey. During 2007 over half of the EU combined funding for Afghanistan was through the public finance management system. It has contributed over half the funding for the World Bank administrated ARTF and two thirds of the LOTFA which pays for the running costs of the Afghan National Police. Further details on the assistance of the European Commission and of the individual Member States are given in the Part II of this brochure. 5

10 Rule of Law The EU is engaged in the rule of law sector in Afghanistan at a number of levels. The European Commission and a number of Member States support the LOTFA which funds the running costs of the Afghan National Police.The Commission along with certain Member States are also major donors in the justice sector, specifically funding the Afghan National Justice Programme; (see Community and Member States' programmes in Part II). In terms of training and mentoring on the ground as well as assisting in taking forward reforms in the ANP, the EU Police Mission (EUPOL), launched in June 2007, is also one of the central elements of the EU's focus on rule of law in Afghanistan. The EUPOL mission is funded under the Common Security and Foreign Policy and is made up of secondments from Member States and a small number of third countries. EUPOL is staffed with 264 international members (as of August 2009) from 20 EU Member States plus Croatia, Canada, Norway and New Zealand. The mission under the leadership of a Danish commander, Kai Vittrup, is deployed in Kabul and in 15 provinces, with a focus on civilian police training; criminal investigation mentoring; intelligence-led policing and anti-corruption programmes. EUPOL is also implements a number of short to medium term projects such as airport security (illustrated by the opening of the new Kabul Airport terminal), Kabul City Police training and other projects complementary to the US Focus District Development programme. In terms of actors in the police sector, EUPOL is one of the three pillars (with the US and the Ministry of Interior) of the International Police Coordination Board, the main forum of international coordination and is the main contributor to the staffing of the IPCB secretariat. Further secondments from Member States will in part dictate the future priorities and programmes of the EUPOL Mission. Apart from the EU's substantial contribution to police reform, many EU Member States have supported the security sector reform in Afghanistan by operating International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) with military and civilian components; the PRTs are based in different parts of the country. There are currently 12 European PRTs providing support to the reconstruction and governance efforts, sometimes in the most insecure and remote areas of the country. The Commission has been operating a fund (EUR 10m) providing additional resources for the European PRTs. Promoting Democracy and Human Rights Human Rights Afghanistan has made significant progress in human rights and democratisation since the fall of the Taliban in However, the ongoing conflict and the deterioration of the overall security situation have aversely affected the progress in human rights and many of the longstanding problems persist. The situation surrounding freedom of expression continues to slide as intimidation, threats, violence, and unjustified detentions are reported from a number of quarters. Cultural, religious and political factors continue to severely limit the lives and potential of Afghan women and the number of reported rape cases of women and children have increased significantly in recent years. This situation is compounded by a lack of a functioning formal justice system in large parts of the country and especially outside the main urban areas. The EU Member States work in close co-operation on human rights issues in Kabul to monitor and where necessary present EU demarches where human rights abuses have occurred. Such actions are coordinated through the offices of the EUSR and the EU Presidency in Kabul, with the Commission, ensuring a coherent and unified European voice on human rights issues in Afghanistan. In terms of promotion of human rights, the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) is a financing instrument of the EU which supports the activities of civil society working in third countries. The EIDHR has an average annual global budget of EUR 120 million, funding projects related to the improvement of human rights and democracy. For Afghanistan, the pipeline for EIDHR related projects ( ) comprises an annual budget of EUR 1.2 million. Since 2005, the partners, national and international NGOs, have developed a variety of activities that have been supported by this EU initiative such as promoting the government's transparency and accountability; raising awareness on human rights through local radio broadcasting; 6

11 introduction of human rights training in the teachers' training colleges; media rights monitoring and transitional justice and reconciliation in Afghanistan. The numerous initiatives of the EU Member States in Afghanistan strengthen and compliment the approach taken towards the betterment of human rights through the EIDHR. These activities have included legal and psycho-social aid to women, support to Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, human rights training of police and support to refugees and the disabled. Election Observation One of the central pillars of the EU's approach in support of democratisation and respect for human rights includes support to the electoral processes in third countries. The EU contributes through its election observation and other election support. In this respect, the EU has played a major role in the planning, funding and monitoring of elections in Afghanistan since Whilst accepting the difficult environment for undertaking elections in Afghanistan, the EU has consistently expressed its wish for credible and transparent elections which can be judged to express the will of the people. In this regard, EU long term election observers for both the Parliamentary elections in 2005 and the Presidential elections in 2009 were in-country for several weeks before the election-day, reporting on a range of issues including access to media, voter registration, and equal treatment of candidates. In 2005, the European Commission committed EUR 4 million for running of the Election Observation Mission and EUR 8.5 million towards the cost of organising elections, plus EUR 3 million for the institutional development of the Afghan Parliament.For the Presidential election in August 2009, the European Commission increased its commitment to EUR 35 million for the election preparations. In addition, the EC organised an Election Observation Mission of around 100 observers with General Phillippe Morillon as Chief Observer. The EU Observation Mission was the sole internationally recognised mission observing the election in August Parliamentary Contacts Relations between the European Parliament and the Afghan Parliament (National Assembly) started when the first ad-hoc Delegation of the European Parliament to Afghanistan visited Kabul in July The objective of the visit was to deepen the understanding of the political situation in the view of the first Parliamentary elections, held in September On that occasion an election observation mission of the European Parliament was also sent to Kabul. The next inter-parliamentary contact, a visit of an Afghan Delegation, led by Mr Muhammad Yunus Qanoni, the Speaker of the Wolesi Jirga, took place in 2006, in Strasbourg followed by the first Afghan Parliamentary visit to Brussels in November 2007 headed by Mr Mohammad Arif Noorzai, Deputy Speaker of Wolesi Jirga. These active exchanges between parliaments contribute to building a network of common values and foster better understanding the role, practices and procedures of the respective institutions. People to People The Erasmus Mundus programme is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field of higher education which promotes the EU as a centre of excellence in learning around the world. It aims at better understanding between the EU and Afghanistan amongst other developing countries and to foster institutional co-operation in the field of higher education. This is achieved through a mobility scheme for student and academic

12 exchanges for the purpose of studying, teaching, training and research. In addition, the programme provides EU-funded scholarships for third country nationals participating in these Masters Courses, as well as scholarships for EU-nationals studying in third countries. In 2006, two Afghan graduate students benefited from a scholarship to earn their Master degrees in Europe. Their travels in Europe consisted of Denmark, UK, France, Spain and Italy. It is the first time that Afghan students won an Erasmus Mundus scholarship thus joining other fellow students selected from non-eu countries to hone their talents in cross-european excellence Master courses. ( ( 8

13 Map of Europe 9

14 Map of Afghanistan 10

15 II. EU Donor Profiles

16 II. EU Donor Profiles II. EU Donor Profiles EUROPEAN COMMISSION A quarter of the EU aid has been contributed through the Community budget managed by the European Commission. Since 2002, this has amounted to EUR 1.65 billion including EUR 282 million in humanitarian assistance. By end of 2008 the EC had disbursed EUR 1.40 billion or 85% of its commitments. Table 2 EC aid to Afghanistan in EUR million Year Total Commitments Disbursed Total EUROPEAN COMMISSION The first EC Country Strategy Paper (CSP) and National Indicative Programme (NIP) for Afghanistan targeted stability and poverty reduction by supporting rural development and food security, good governance, infrastructure and health, as well as other areas. The current Country Strategy Paper sets out the priorities for the EC's work in Afghanistan for a seven year period, The Commission's interventions currently fall into three focal and three non-focal areas: - The focal areas are rural development, governance (police and justice), and health; - The non focal areas are social protection, mine action and regional cooperation. The total budget for EC bilateral development cooperation for is EUR 645 million, including an additional allocation of EUR 35 million in 2009 for election support. A significant part of this funding has been channelled through the national programmes of the Afghan Government, such as health, or through the multi-donor trust funds - ARTF and LOTFA - which contribute to the central budget of the Government. Indeed, the Commission has been the single largest contributor to the LOTFA which pays for the running costs of the Afghan National Police. The EC has provided some EUR 280 million to the Trust Fund to date. A mid-term review of the Country Strategy Paper is currently underway and the new multi-annual indicative programme is being designed, in consultation with the local authorities and civil society as well as Member States and other key donors. The new multi-annual indicative programme will come into operation for the second period of the Country Strategy, namely Apart from bilateral cooperation, Afghanistan is the recipient from regional programmes for Asia, 12

17 in particular Aid for Uprooted People programmes, as well as support within the thematic programmes such as for Food Security, Non-State Actors, the EIDHR and the Instrument for Stability (IfS). Humanitarian assistance (governed by principles and rules largely different from development cooperation) is provided by the Directorate for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) which has a separate office in Kabul. The EC is an important donor to humanitarian assistance and transitional activities implemented by UN organisations and NGOs providing support for protection of displaced persons, return and reintegration of refugees, response to food crises and mine action. The EC is also active on a regional level. Following the Regional Conference on Economic Cooperation with Afghanistan, in Islamabad in May 2009, the EC has aimed to further enhance its role in regional cooperation. The Commission will strengthen its existing regional border management programmes, including working with organisations such as the UNODC in control of the flow of drugs precursors. It will also undertake a comprehensive study on the feasibility of an Afghan railway network connecting Central and South Asia. Finally, in the area of trade, the Commission has pledged to assist in the implementation arrangements of a trade and transit agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan as and when the agreement is finalised between the two countries. II. EU Donor Profiles Delegation of the European Commission Head of the EC Delegation, Ambassador Hansjörg Kretschmer Malalai Wat (opposite Ministry of Interior), Shahr-e- Naw Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) /5/6 delegation-afghaistan@ec.europa.eu Website: EUROPEAN COMMISSION 13

18 II. EU Donor Profiles BELGIUM BELGIUM With a contribution of approximately EUR 13.5 million, Belgium is one of the biggest donors to the National Area-Based Development Program, which has set up the district development assemblies as a governance structure at the district level. Another EUR 6 million has been committed to the ARTF over the next three years ( ), which will be used to co-fund the National Solidarity Programme. Significant contribution has also been made to the national mine action program of Afghanistan over the past few years. Additionally, Belgium has supported a capacity-building program in the Afghan Ministry of Interior and is currently involved in a capacity-building project with the Independent Directorate of Local Governance. For previous elections Belgium contributed EUR 3.6 million, and it will continue to support the elections with a contribution of EUR 1 million. Belgium has also been a donor to UNODC in Afghanistan (counter-narcotics and justice sector). Belgium has made a substantial contribution of EUR 3 million to the rural development programme of the Aga Khan Foundation in the Takhar and Badakshan Provinces. Other initiatives include providing support to national and international NGOs, including the Belgian NGO Solidarité Afghanistan-Belgique, which is active in the educational sector, Mothers for Peace and BBC AEP's through their 'New Home New Life' series. In the context of humanitarian aid, Belgium has contributed more than EUR 15 million in assistance programs of WFP, WHO, FAO and UNHCR. These contributions include funding for food assistance, medical assistance, and shelter building and reintegration programs for returnees. Contributing to peace and security in Afghanistan, Belgium is a part of the International Security Assistance Force since March 2003 and has deployed about 400 military in Afghanistan. This number has increased to about 550 over 2009 as a result of the commitment to provide an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team for the Afghan National Army. In addition it is also responsible for the security of the Kabul International Airport and has deployed six aircrafts in Kandahar. Its civil-military cooperation team works with the German Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Kunduz. Belgium has provided development assistance to Afghanistan since Its humanitarian aid and development assistance to Afghanistan has averaged EUR 6 million (USD 8.92 million) a year since the Tokyo Conference (2002). And it has further committed EUR 12 million (USD million) for 2009 and the same amount for Embassy of Belgium Qala-e-Fatehullah, Taimani Street, House 1-3 Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) kabul@diplobel.fed.be Website: 14

19 BULGARIA Bulgaria and Afghanistan established diplomatic ties in Bulagria resumed its permanent diplomatic presence in Kabul in June 2002, 10 years after it had been suspended, following the escalation of the civil war in Afghanistan. Since the very beginning of the stabilization and reconstruction process, Bulgaria joined the international efforts for bringing peace and security to Afghanistan. Currently, Bulgaria participates with a 470-strong military contingent in the International Security Assistance Force and its units are also deployed in Kabul and in Kandahar. In addition, there is a Bulgarian medical team in the Spanish hospital in Herat and two other Bulgarian officers are deployed in the Hungarianled PRT in Pol-i Khumri, Baghlan Province. Improving the capacity of the Afghanistan National Security Forces remains a top Bulgarian priority. As of now, Bulgarian assistance to the Afghan National Army (ANA) has amounted to EUR 12 m. It has also contributed with EUR 60,000 to ANA through the ANA Trust Fund. Other contributions include EUR 170,000 to the Post Operation Humanitarian Relief Fund and EUR 37,000 to the Trust Fund Project for the "Physical Security and Stockpile Management of Ammunition". Bulgaria has also joined the efforts towards supporting the ANA training through participation in Operational Mentoring Liaison Team within the International Security Assistance Force. Bulgarian humanitarian aid amounting to EUR 385,000 has also been extended to Afghanistan. Considering the importance of capacity building for improving governance in Afghanistan, Bulgaria has provided training courses for junior Afghan diplomats at the Diplomatic Institute affiliated to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs since The fourth consecutive course will be held in November 2009 in Sofia. II. EU Donor Profiles BULGARIA Bulgaria s support to Afghanistan in the security, humanitarian and capacity building field for the period amounted to EUR 12.7 million (USD 18.9 million). Bulgaria will continue providing multiform assistance, using both bilateral and multilateral mechanisms. Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria Wazir Akbar Khan, Street 15 Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) Fax: +93 (0) bgembkabul@yahoo.com 15

20 II. EU Donor Profiles CZECH REPUBLIC CZECH REPUBLIC The cooperation between the Czech Republic and Afghanistan has deep historical roots and mutual diplomatic relations were established as early as Since 2001, the Czech Republic has participated in the reconstruction and stabilization of Afghanistan. Aligned with the priorities of the Afghan Government, numerous activities that focus mainly on agriculture, education, health care, and security have been undertaken in cooperation with the local communities. The development initiatives of Czech Republic include assistance in the renewal of the irrigation systems and of the transport infrastructure with specific emphasis on Logar Province. Apart from this, a part of the bilateral assistance is distributed through multinational trust funds and activities such as de-mining. In the spirit of empowering people through education, the Czech Republic provides annual scholarships to several Afghan students to study at Czech universities. Complimenting the assistance, 'People in Need' a Czech NGO, has been working on providing long-term solutions to problems directly linked with issues of subsistence, development of rural communities and improvement in the quality of life. The key areas of work include elementary education and development of secondary schools specialized in agricultural education. In March 2008, the Czech Republic undertook responsibility for the PRT in the Logar Province of Eastern Afghanistan. Civilian experts supported by the Czech Republic military work together with the elected provincial government for further development of the region. The team also actively participates in training of the Afghan police and army, and in the provision of police and military equipment supplies together with supporting independent media. The Czech Republic s support to Afghanistan from 2001 to the end of 2008 amounted to EUR million (USD million). Until December 2011 the total pledge made by Czech Republic would amount to EUR million (USD million). PRT Engineer discussing school construction in logar province Embassy of the Czech Republic Wazir Akbar Khan, Street Nr. 10, House Number 337, Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) kabul@embassy.mzv.cz Website: Rice Cultivation workshop organized by People in Need, Agriculture High School Baghlan 16

21 DENMARK Denmark's engagement in Afghanistan is based on a comprehensive strategy which integrates all support to Afghanistan - development, military and humanitarian assistance. For the strategy period ( ), Denmark's development assistance alone reaches approximately EUR 53.8 million (USD 80 million) per year, which renders Denmark one of the largest bilateral contributors per capita. The objective of Denmark's development engagement in Afghanistan is to contribute to the growth of a stable and more developed state that can take charge of its own security, continue its democratic development and promote respect for human rights - thus contributing to national, regional and global security. Through a strong promotion of aid effectiveness, Denmark's development assistance is focused on state building, education and the improvement of living conditions. In support of state building, assistance is geared with priority towards democratic processes, the fulfilment of human rights, the promotion of good governance and stabilisation. As a vital pre-requisite to state building, Denmark also supports the strengthening of the civil society. With education at the core of building the country's future, Denmark is one of the key partners to the Ministry of Education, supporting its implementation of the National Education Strategic Plan, including institutional reforms. Improving living conditions comes to reinforce the state building and education efforts through, among others, the development of legal economic growth and employment for men and women, rural development and the development of alternative income opportunities to the narcotics industry. Moreover, anti-corruption and gender equality are cross-cutting priorities pursued in order to render Afghanistan's development sustainable. A special priority for Denmark is also the reform and capacity development of the Afghan National Police as an essential aspect of both national, regional and global security and of building a democratic state based on the rule of law. For this purpose, in addition to other support provided, substantial Danish assistance is geared towards the efforts of the EU's police mission in Afghanistan. This contribution places Denmark among the mission's largest personnel contributors. Last but not least, as part of its integrated approach, Denmark not only deploys troops to one of Afghanistan's most insecure Provinces, Helmand, but also focuses an integral part of its development efforts there. II. EU Donor Profiles DENMARK Denmark s development support to Afghanistan from 2002 to the end of 2008 amounted to EUR million (USD 256 million) in commitments and EUR million (USD 253 million) in disbursements. Building on the achievements of the past eight years, Denmark projects further support totalling EUR million (USD 292 million) for the period Courtesy of the Publication Department of the Afghan Ministry of Education Embassy of the Denmark Mr. Ivan M. Nielsen, Deputy Head of Mission Wazir Akbar Khan Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) kblamb@um.dk Website: & 17

22 II. EU Donor Profiles GERMANY Germany is one of the largest bilateral donors, providing aid for Afghanistan's reconstruction and development. Over the past years, it has steadily increased its bilateral funds for civil reconstruction and development from EUR 100 million in 2007 to EUR 188 million in In addition, depending on humanitarian needs, Germany provides humanitarian aid and funds for emergency oriented reconstruction aid in Afghanistan (about EUR 44 million in 2008 and approximately EUR 11 million until September 2009). Furthermore, Germany has granted EUR 50 million for the ANA Trust Fund in 2009 and by 2010, it would have allocated over EUR billion (USD 1.83 billion) for civil reconstruction purposes. Germany will continue to support the Government of Afghanistan in the following fields of cooperation: Security sector reform (ANP and ANA training, contributions to LOTFA and ANA-TF); Drinking water and energy supply (focus on renewable energy); Sustainable economic development (Private sector development, trade & investment policy, developing value chains, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, generating incomes in rural areas); Basic infrastructure and income generating activities in the northeast and southeast of Afghanistan; Basic and secondary education; vocational training; Rule of law, gender mainstreaming, capacity building in the public administration; Good governance (political reforms, strengthening political structures); GERMANY National Afghan programmes (in particular the National Solidarity Programme and the Education Quality Improvement Programme via the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund); Regional stabilisation, especially around German-led Provincial Reconstruction Teams and RC North (infrastructure, basic health care, capacity building); supporting alternative livelihoods in North-Eastern Afghanistan and in Kandahar Province; Trans-border projects in the framework of the G8-initiative Afghanistan-Pakistan; Reconstruction of the cultural heritage, cultural exchange. Germany is the third largest bilateral donor to Afghanistan. Its commitments amount to more than EUR 1.21 billion (USD 1.8 billion) over 9 years with an annual contribution in 2009 of about EUR 208 million (USD million) for civil reconstruction and development. Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Wazir Akbar Khan, St. 6 Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) info@kabul.diplo.de Website: 18

23 ESTONIA Estonia has provided development assistance to Afghanistan since 2006 and before then was providing support through the UNHCR. Aligned with the objectives set by the Afghan authorities in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, Estonia's development cooperation builds on a strategy adopted for the period With the sole aim of supporting the ongoing efforts towards the stabilisation of Afghanistan, Estonia has 150 soldiers placed mostly in Helmand Province. In addition to the soldiers, an Estonian adviser has mentored the Afghan Ministry of Defence on relations with the Afghan Parliament together with Estonian experts that are a part of EU's police mission in Afghanistan. II. EU Donor Profiles The focus of Estonian development assistance lies predominantly in the field of health, where the majority of activities are undertaken in Helmand Province. To this effect, an Estonian healthcare expert has been working in the UK-led Lashkar Gah PRT in Helmand Province, since March One of the first projects undertaken aimed at providing the children's department of Bost Hospital with essential medical equipment. The Province will get continued assistance from Estonia particularly in the context of healthrelated vocational training, especially for women and medical workers. In Kabul, the main focus lies on education and good governance. A strong promoter of knowledge preservation, Estonia also embarked on granting monetary support to Kabul University. New projects will include supporting the development of Afghanistan's Parliament and the training of Afghan diplomats. In September 2006 Estonia opened its special diplomatic mission in Afghanistan and in March 2008, Estonian non-residing Ambassador to Afghanistan Mr. Harri Tiido presented his credentials. Mr. Tiido is also named as special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Estonia s support from 2006 to the end of 2008 amounted to EUR million (USD 1.7 million) in disbursements. It projects a total amount of EUR million (USD 2 million) for the period ESTONIA Special Mission of the Republic of Estonian to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mr. Tanel Sepp, Charge d Affairs Safi Landmark Hotel and Suites Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) embassy.kabul@mfa.ee Website: Estonian health advisor Ms Anu Raisma with the first Afghan patient using the new medical oxygen delivery system installed in Bost Hospital. 19

24 II. EU Donor Profiles IRELAND Since 2001, Ireland has allocated over EUR 42 million to Afghanistan. A pledge of EUR 5 million made in January 2006 at the London International Conference on Afghanistan has been exceeded. A further pledge of EUR 9 million over the period was made at the Paris Conference on Afghanistan in June 2008 and Ireland remains on target to fulfil this pledge by end clearance in Afghanistan for over twenty years. Its mine clearance project operates in Central and Northern Afghanistan, where some of the world's highest concentrations of explosive remnants of war exist. The work of Halo Trust is helping to facilitate the continuing return of refugees and IDPs to their homes in Afghanistan and laying the foundations for longer term development. IRELAND Ireland's aid to Afghanistan has traditionally focused on both humanitarian and development needs. Its assistance last year totalled over EUR 4.5 million with a particular focus on three areas: ARTF, de-mining programmes and support to NGOs engaged in a range of development activities. Since 2002, Ireland has provided support of over EUR 9.5 million to the World Bank administered ARTF to assist the Afghan Government in delivering on investment priorities and in covering recurrent expenditures. In addition Irish Aid has also provided significant support to Halo Trust, an NGO engaged in mine A significant portion of Irish funding to Afghanistan is provided in support of NGOs, in particular Concern, Trocaire and Christian Aid - engaged in a range of activities, including water management, peace-building, women's empowerment, environmental health and microenterprises. Total funding allocated through civil society organisations for development programmes in 2008 amounted to over EUR 2.1 million. In 2009, Irish Aid has continued to support these priorities, and has also supported the establishment of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Afghanistan. To date in 2009, Ireland has allocated over EUR 4.8 million (USD 7.13 million) in assistance to Afghanistan which included humanitarian, rehabilitation and development support. Embassy of Ireland Ambassador John Deady 5 Bonbast Nahid, Bazdar (ex-kamranieh Shomali) St. Farmanieh, Tehran, IR. Iran tehranembassy@dfa.ie Website: 20

25 GREECE Greece remains particularly engaged in the reconstruction and stabilisation of Afghanistan. In co-operation with the Greek Ministries and NGOs, HELLENIC AID implements numerous development co-operation activities that focus mainly on rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure, culture, health care, education, social protection and humanitarian aid, which are also aligned with the key priorities of the Afghan Government. Greece is also active in the team of countries working for the reconstruction of the Kabul museum and the organisation of an Afghan archaeological service. Furthermore, Greece provides health care services, supplies, medicines and personnel for supporting a surgery hospital in Kabul. In the framework of educational programmes, Greece provides annually several Afghan students with scholarships to study at Greek universities. It also contributes to the "social outreach programme" implemented by the Afghan government. Apart from these initiatives, a part of the assistance provided is granted through multinational trust funds (IOM) and/or in cooperation with other bilateral donors (Hungary). Recent Greek commitments for Afghanistan have included: II. EU Donor Profiles EUR 2 million grant to finance reconstruction programmes focusing on preventive medicine for women, protection of children and cultural activities EUR 0.4 million grant to the WFP for Afghanistan EUR 0.3 million grant for financing the Hungarian Project Provincial Reconstruction Teams project EUR 1 million grant for support to organisation of the Presidential elections of August GREECE During the period , aid disbursed by Greece for development support to Afghanistan amounted EUR million (USD million) Building on the achievements of the recent past, Greece will provide further support in the form of coordinated aid in the years to come. Embassy Greece Ambassador Petros Mavroidis House 33A, School Road, Sector F-6/2 Islamabad, Pakistan Tel: +92 (0) , Fax: +93 (0) gremb.isl@mfa.gr Website: 21

26 II. EU Donor Profiles SPAIN Spain's main focus in terms of development activities is in the Province of Badghis. During the period and following the Tokyo Conference, Spain contributed around EUR 75 million (USD 110 million) to Afghanistan. Moreover, delivering on the commitments of the London Conference in 2006, Spain has budgeted EUR 150 million for the period towards the reconstruction and stabilisation of Afghanistan. The strategic objectives and priorities of the Spanish cooperation in Afghanistan are the following: Basic education and vocational training; Health; Provision of drinking water; Communication infrastructures; Irrigation and Farming; Improving of livestock; Gender; Good Governance and Food security and emergency aid. million, bilaterally in the Badghis Province. In December 2006, UNDP and the Government of Spain signed a far-reaching agreement to establish a fund to accelerate efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals in selected countries, including Afghanistan. Spain has already disbursed over EUR 16 million since 2006 to this fund. In addition, Spain is responsible for a PRT in Badghis Province. Other initiatives include working towards the creation of a Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Training in Kabul and contributing to the EU's police mission in Afghanistan. SPAIN Within the principles established by the ANDS, Spain continues to deliver assistance to Afghanistan through bilateral and multilateral instruments. Since 2006, it has disbursed EUR 65 million mainly through ARTF, UNDP and National Development Programmes and EUR 43 The total disbursements made by Spain during the period amounts to EUR million (USD 110 million) whereas total commitments for the are EUR 150 million (USD million). Embassy of Spain Shirpur, Main St. 3rd Lane-Right Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) (0) (0) emb.kabul@maec.es Website: /Home/Paginas/Home.aspx 22

27 FRANCE France has been an active partner in the development of Afghanistan since The country strategy for is currently under revision in order to better fulfill the objectives set in the ANDS and to be in keeping with the final document issued by the International Conference in Support of Afghanistan of 12 June The amount of Official Development Assistance provided by France is due to increase. French assistance focuses on two main objectives. Contribution to the ARTF (2009: EUR 4 million). 2. Support to agriculture growth and basic services delivery at both central and provincial level, particularly in the Province of Kapisa and in the Kabul district of Sorubi (where, due to the presence of the French Army forces in the field, France has a good understanding of the situation and of the needs of the population). Activities include: II. EU Donor Profiles 1. Strengthening state Institutions: by intensifying cooperation in governance and security sectors together with increasing contributions to the Afghan National programmes. Activities include the following: Cooperation with the Afghan National Police through a support to the counterdrugs Academy, the scientific police and the vocational training. In addition to that, France will soon start new cooperations decided upon with the Ministry of Interior. (in 2009: EUR 1.7 million). Additionally an initiative involving "gendarmerie" is under consideration. Support to the organisation of Afghan elections (2009: EUR 1 million). Support to the Afghan Parliament and training of legal professionals and students (2009: EUR 410,000). Emergency food aid, to tackle food insecurity (2009: EUR 4 million). Health and Agriculture: the priority sectors of French cooperation both channeled though the Agence Française de Développement, AFD (for 2009, health is EUR 3.8 million; agriculture and rural development EUR 18.7 million) Education, Culture and Heritage are the historical sectors of the Afghan-French cooperation (2009: EUR 5.9 million). In the field of Education, support was provided to Teachers Training Centers activities, the Esteqlal and Malalai Lycées and the University of Kabul. Archaeological researches stretching to a period of almost eight decades are conducted by the French Archaeological Delegation in Afghanistan and activities in the cultural domain are mainly coordinated by the French Cultural Centre. Additionally, social protection is catered for through allocations to international Agencies and NGOs. FRANCE France s development support to Afghanistan amounted to EUR million (USD million) in commitments to date. For the period an amount of EUR million (USD million) has been projected while the disbursement to date is EUR million (USD million). These figures do not include the involvement of the 3750 French soldiers in Afghanistan. Embassy of France Shirpur, Main Street, Shahr-e-naw Tel: +93 (0) chancellerie.kaboul-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr Website: 23

28 II. EU Donor Profiles ITALY ITALY The Italian Cooperation has been active in Afghanistan since 2001, aiming at alleviating the humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict, and at creating the conditions for a sustainable development of Afghanistan. Among the ten major donors to Afghanistan, ranking sixth among the donor countries (Source: Afghan Ministry of Finance, Financial Donors Review 2008), Italy plays a leading role in the Justice and Rule of Law sector. Italy's disbursement from 2001 to 2008 amounted to EUR 430 million. Geographically, Italy supports development activities in Herat, Farah, Badghis, Bamian, Wardak, Baghlan, Nangharar and Kabul. The Italian support to the justice reform, amounting to EUR 56 million between 2001 and 2007, was channelled through UN and international agencies, ARTF, LOTFA and CNTF. Italy established the Independent National Legal Training Centre for the judiciary and developed new teaching curricula. Furthermore, Italy supported the construction of several courts and prosecutor offices in the Provinces, and the setting-up of the first "open centre" within a juvenile prison in Kabul. The ANDS has later on determined a significant change in the approach of the International Community in Afghanistan. Italy's action is in line with this new approach, and is working towards the Afghan ownership, channelling part of its funds through the ARTF and other trust funds managed by the Afghan Government. In the context of Governance, it is worth recalling contributions to the electoral system, DIAG, the LOTFA, and SEAL. Italian support to Afghanistan National Development Strategy also means: 1) national roads (Maidan Shar - Bamyan); 2) health, providing both essential hospital packages, and prevention of communicable diseases in 15 health structures in Kabul, Herat and Baghlan Provinces; 3) support to national budget (through the ARTF); and gender equity and women empowerment, through the promotion of women entrepreneurship and the funding to the UNIFEM initiatives. Italy has also provided emergency aid for refugees and returnees through the UNHCR and humanitarian assistance (distribution of food and basic supplies, small scale irrigation, basic health, education and water supply intervention) through WFP and Afghan NGOs. Italy sustained vocational training in Herat Province and supported, through UNESCO, the rehabilitation of the ERTV, Education Radio Television, successively acquired by the Ministry of Education as a tool for distance learning. In the future, the focus will be on strengthening local governance and development through the NSP and the Afghanistan Social Outreach Programme, the realisation of the Maydan- Bamyan road, and the juvenile justice. Italy has committed to the reconstruction of Afghanistan a total amount of EUR 430 million (USD million) from November 2001 to the end of The disbursing of funds goes 60% through multilateral channels and 40% though bilateral channels. Embassy of Italy Mr. Maurizio Di Calisto, Director of Italian Cooperation Office, Italian Cooperation Office, Great Masoud Road, Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) maurizio.dicalisto@coopitafghanistan.org Website: 24

29 LATVIA Latvian development assistance to Afghanistan is based on a Development Cooperation Policy Programme adopted for where Afghanistan has been placed among the top of the bilateral beneficiaries' list. International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan since 2003 and in 2009 it has deployed approximately 174 military in Afghanistan, part of them forming an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team. II. EU Donor Profiles Latvia's development assistance to Afghanistan focuses on rule of law, police sector, education and gender equality as well as infrastructure including renewal of the irrigation systems and access to potable water. Acting with limited resources Latvia has initiated relatively large scale projects while working together with the European Commission and the Government of Japan. Its multilateral assistance to Afghanistan is channelled through LOTFA and CNTF. Latvia has provided development assistance to Afghanistan since Latvia's development support to Afghanistan from amounts to EUR million (USD million) in disbursements. A total EUR million (USD 1.9 million) were provided as development assistance to Afghanistan through co-projects. Latvia has also been involved, since 2007 in the implementation of development cooperation projects in the Faryab Province of Afghanistan where Latvian military forces are stationed in Meimaneh Provincial Reconstruction Team. Through the EUPOL police mission in Afghanistan, it regularly contributes its personnel to strengthen the Afghan National Police. Contributing to stabilization and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, it has been part of Embassy of Latvia in Uzbekistan Mr. Igors Apokins 16 A Lashkarbegi Str., Tashkent, Uzbekistan Tel: embassy.uzbekistan@mfa.gov.lv Website: LATVIA 25

30 LITHUANIA LITHUANIA Lithuania established diplomatic relations with Afghanistan in December 1930 by signing an Agreement on Foundation of Friendly Relations. The diplomatic relations with Afghanistan were re-established in March Shortly thereafter, Lithuania established a Special Mission in Afghanistan, which expanded its presence in Kabul. To ensure Afghan ownership and coherent development, Lithuania harmonizes development efforts with the priorities set out by the Afghanistan National Development Strategy and Provincial Development Plans. Acting with limited resources, Lithuania concentrates its efforts in certain priority sectors: Education; Infrastructure; Sustainable Development; Good Governance, Rule of Law and Strengthening Administrative Capacities; Strengthening Cultural Ties and Protecting Cultural Heritage. Lithuania's contribution has seen the successful implementation of many projects. One such success story is the contribution towards safeguarding of cultural heritage in Afghanistan where Lithuanian and Afghan experts worked together on the preservation of objects of cultural value. Research of archaeological sites was undertaken and their documentation was made in a national register of cultural monuments. Lithuania continues the successful cooperation with the Japanese Government in implementing education and infrastructure projects. In addition, Lithuania has also contributed to the humanitarian assistance program through the WFP. Since 2005, Lithuania has been leading a PRT in Chaghcharan, the capital of Ghor Province. Its main objective is to assist Afghanistan in becoming a secure, democratic and selfsufficient state. As a contributor to the multinational effort in Afghanistan, Lithuania supports the Afghan Government's efforts to stabilize the country, strengthen governance and reduce poverty. Civil-military cooperation team in the PRT of Ghor also provides food, medical assistance during crisis and implements quick impact projects for the most vulnerable communities in the Province. Contributing further, Lithuania also supports the EU's police mission in Afghanistan and is committed to providing more specialists as the number of mission reaches its full strength. Lithuania remains strongly committed to retain its civil involvement in the Ghor Province to address the challenges of this very poor region of the country. Since 2006 when development programs and development structures were established under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, the contributions to Afghanistan reached EUR 2.28 million (USD 3.39 million). Consequently in the year 2008, it disbursed EUR 1.17 million (USD 1.74 million). Special Mission of the Republic of Lithuania to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan c/o Delegation of the European Commission Malalai Wat (opposite Ministry of Interior) Shahr-e- Naw Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) misija.af@urm.lt 26

31 LUXEMBOURG In the area of development cooperation, Luxembourg has allocated EUR 25 million in the last decade to support the Afghan population in the fight against poverty and the reconstruction of their country. Since 2007, it has contributed an average level of Official Development Assistance to Afghanistan amounting to EUR 2.5 million per year. For the years to come, Luxembourg will maintain this effort through predictable, multiannual financial commitments. Luxembourg works in support of the Afghan government together with the UNDP, UNFPA, WFP, FAO and ICRC as well as NGOs. Additionally, it provides support to the development of local agriculture, focusing on the production as well as the transformation and commercialisation of agricultural products. At the same time, Luxembourg also finances food aid and nutritional assistance programs, supports water and sanitation programs and contributes to programs that specifically address the needs of women and infant children in the healthcare sector. Furthermore, Luxembourg provides assistance to those who are most at risk and vulnerable i.e. members of a minority group, elderly, disabled persons, abandoned children and orphans or incarcerated people. In terms of budget support, Luxembourg also channels funds through the ARTF. In the context of security, in addition to its participation in International Security Assistance Force, Luxembourg contributes to the training and equipment trust fund for the enlarged Afghan National Army (ANA). Contributions made from 2007 to 2009 have amounted to EUR 5.7 million and have been used to fund training for officers and protective equipment (life-vests and helmets). Finally, Luxembourg has supported Afghan election exercise through the UNDP both in 2005 and in 2009 by contributing EURO 50,000 and 75,000 respectively. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Directorate for Political Affairs Mrs. Yasuko Muller Secrétaire de Légation B. P. 1602, L-1016 Luxembourg Tel: (+352) Fax: (+352) yasuko.muller@mae.etat.lu II. EU Donor Profiles LUXEMBOURG During the last ten years, Luxembourg's humanitarian aid, reconstruction and development cooperation effort in support of the poorest and most vulnerable populations in Afghanistan has amounted to a total of EUR 25 million (USD million). During the past three years, it has allocated EUR 2.5 million (USD 3.71 million) per year to its Afghanistan program. Luxembourg will keep this level of commitment for the years to come. 27

32 HUNGARY HUNGARY Hungary has been active in Afghanistan since Contributing to both development and stabilisation, it took over the lead of the Baghlan PRT in 2006, where its military contingent is also deployed. Geographically, Hungary's development efforts are focused solely on Baghlan Province. Hungary started the implementation of development projects in 2007, by providing substantial official development assistance to Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008 with an allocation of EUR 2 million per year thus placing Afghanistan on the top of the bilateral beneficiaries' list. Its focus lies in sectors such as agriculture, education and health and a large part of the cooperation consists of technical assistance as well as technology transfer. Additionally, assistance is also channelled to capacity building in sectors related to governance like public administration, police and law enforcement. Highlighting the importance of donor coordination, Hungarian ministries and NGOs have worked together with Greece, the European Commission and the Japanese Government in projects such as midwife training, water management, public administration reform, health and vocational education. Key projects are workplace creation (brick factory, carpet weaving and carpentry classes), agricultural development programmes (milk production program) and the training of experts, public servants and police. Most of the projects have been implemented by three NGOs namely the Hungarian Interchurch Aid, the Hungarian Baptist Aid and the International Centre for Democratic Transition. Hungary has also extended scholarships for full university education to Afghan students selected from Baghlan Province and training opportunities for Afghan diplomats in Budapest. It has further provided humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan ( ) and contributed to LOTFA (2004). Hungary has been in the lead of the military camp at Kabul International Airport from October March As training and equipping the Afghan National Security Forces is another key priority, Hungary deployed an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team to Baghlan Province in Hungarian police not only contribute to the training of the local police force in Baghlan Province but also take part in EU's police mission in Afghanistan. The Hungarian Defence Forces supported the NATO Election Support Force with a unit aimed at securing the Presidential and Provincial Elections in In order to contribute to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, Hungary has committed approx. EUR 4 million (USD 5.94 million) in the last two years. Total pledges include a sum of EUR 6 million (USD 8.92 million of which the disbursement to date has been EUR 3.2 million (USD 4.75 million). Embassy of Hungary Ambassador Sándor Mátyus, c/o Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Wazir Akbar Khan, St. 6 Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) huembkbl@gmail.com 28

33 THE NETHERLANDS The Netherlands has been actively contributing to Afghanistan's development for almost 20 years. Prior to 2001, approximately EUR 9 million was spent through UN organisations, the Red Cross and other aid organisations in the country. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the Netherlands placed Afghanistan on its list of partner countries, thus guaranteeing a long-term development partnership. The last three years the programme has been growing rapidly, reaching a disbursement of almost EUR 88 million in This makes Afghanistan one of the recipient countries with the largest Netherlands development cooperation support. The Netherlands was one of the founding members of the ARTF and continues to be one of its main donors. With further contributions to the LOTFA and support to national sectoral programmes, this means that about 50% of the Netherlands annual development budget is channelled through the Afghan Government, directly or indirectly. The Netherlands also supports programmes for good governance, sub-national governance, law and order and strengthening of adherence to universal human rights. Strengthening of transparent local administration and effective service delivery remains the main aim of the Netherlands effort. In addition, in 2008 a The Netherlands' support from 2006 to the end of 2008 amounted to EUR million (USD million) in disbursements. It projects a total amount of EUR million (USD 604 million) for the period Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Mr. Marten de Boer, Head of Development Cooperation Section MoI Road, next to Indonesian Embassy Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) kab@minbuza.nl Bart.beltman@minbuza.nl marten-de.boer@minbuza.nl Website: considerable contribution was made for voter registration in view of the upcoming elections. The position of women is given special consideration and a programme for access of women to justice is supported. In view of the support from the Netherlands for improved security, governance and development in Uruzgan Province within the framework of International Security Assistance Force, the development cooperation programme is rapidly increasing. This support is channelled through a variety of programmes including ministries, UN organizations, international and Afghan NGOs and the private sector. The Netherlands main priorities within the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, some specifically focused on Uruzgan Province, are: security; good governance, rule of law and human rights; agriculture and rural development; education, health and social protection. Through EU's police mission in Afghanistan, the Netherlands contributes police mentors and trainers to strengthen the capacity of the ANP. Counter narcotics, in particular interdiction and livelihoods, receives specific attention. In the coming years additional effort will be concentrated on strengthening of the ANSF; rule of law and implementation of a justice programme in Uruzgan Province. Human rights and civic education will also be a priority in all development programmes. The Netherlands is also taking a lead role in donor coordination in support of the Ministry of Education and Ministry Agriculture, Irrigation and Livelihoods. Private sector development in the agricultural sector is being pursued through public-private partnerships and water resource management and rural energy is a focus in Uruzgan Province. In all activities, concerns for gender and environmental sustainability will be mainstreamed. II. EU Donor Profiles NETHERLANDS 29

34 AUSTRIA Austria has had a development programme in Afghanistan since 1999 with a total funding of some EUR 55 million over the last decade. In recent years Austria has focussed its engagement on key sectors of the Afghan National Development Strategy. In particular, the education sector, both primary and secondary education, has been a priority area for Austrian assistance from 2008, accounting for some 27% of Austria's total ODA. Another priority sector which is a key element of current Austrian assistance is governance at the central and local level. A programme of EUR 250,000 is ongoing which is targeting civil society development and Austria will seek to expand on this in the period ahead. Moreover, funding has been channelled into support to the election process in Afghanistan with the OSCE- ODIHR mission receiving Austrian support during the recent Presidential Elections in August Austria has also provided support to the various UN agencies in Afghanistan, in particular the UNODC. In 2009, funding has been provided for UNODC projects to strengthen anti-corruption measures and justice capacity building. Finally, mine action will continue to be a priority area. EUR 250,000 has been provided to the UN mine action programme for 2009 and plans for future support are being considered. Austrian Development Agency Vienna, Austria Website: AUSTRIA 30

35 POLAND Poland has been involved in the field of development co-operation in Afghanistan since Polish aid, administrated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is mainly channelled bilaterally through NGOs, Polish Military Contingent and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Kabul. During the period over 60 projects were implemented with a total estimated support of EUR 5.7 million. Polish support to Afghanistan is focused on specific areas: Strengthening of state structures and civil Society; Diversification of the economy; Access to potable water; Health protection and Education. will increase to EUR 9 million. Most of the funds will be allocated to projects implemented by Polish experts within PRT in Ghazni. The Polish support from 2002 to the end of 2008 amounted to EUR 5.34 million (USD 7.95 million) in disbursements. A total amount of approximately EUR 8.07 million (USD 12 million) is projected for the year II. EU Donor Profiles Until 2008 the projects were mainly related to construction and modernisation of schools and health centres, support for agricultural education and construction of water pumps. In 2008, in order to strengthen the Afghan state structure, Poland organised a dedicated training course entitled Strategic Economic Needs and Security Exercise. Over 40 representatives of the government, media and NGOs received handson experience in the fields of economic transformation management as well as democratic state governance. Poland also provides assistance to Afghanistan through contributions to international institutions and organisations. Until 2008, Polish multilateral assistance to ARTF, UNODC and WFP totalled over EUR 2.5 million (USD 3.5 million). Embassy of the Republic of Poland Kart-eSeh, Maghzan Street Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) embapolkabul@yahoo.pl Website: POLAND Furthermore, Poland has been part of International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan since 2002 with the sole aim of bringing peace and stability. In 2009 the volume of bilateral assistance 31

36 PORTUGAL Portugal began providing development assistance to Afghanistan, through annual programmes, in During the period the Portuguese government provided support to Afghan refugees by financing 3 humanitraian assistance projects implemented through NGOs. It also provided financial support to the International Red Cross in the framework of its Humanitarian Assistance Programme in Afghanistan. Portugal has participated in the International Security Assistance Force since 2002 and has had several forces deployed to the territory since then. With a 143 military strength in Afghanistan, Portuguese participation includes two Operational Mentoring Liaison Teams and a medical team at a medical treatment facility at Kabul's airport. In support of the second Afghan Presidential elections, Portugal reinforced its presence by sending further military personnel. The current number of Portuguese military forces may increase during 2010, with the probable deployment of a military unit of 150 soldiers. In the period between , Portugal provided a total amount of EUR 29 million (USD million) in the form of development assistance to Afghanistan. PORTUGAL Portuguese Embassy House 66, Main Margalla Road, F 7/2 Islamabad, Pakistan Tel.: +92 (0) /3 portugal@dsl.net.pk Portuguese medical team at the Kabul International Airport 32

37 ROMANIA Afghanistan remains one of the key countries in the context of development cooperation and support provided by Romania. Based on the Romanian National Strategy regarding the International Cooperation Policy for Development, the following assistance has been allocated to Afghanistan: In 2008: Contribution to the World Food Programme with EUR 150,000 earmarked for Afghanistan. In addition, the Romanian Ministry of Education provided scholarships to 20 Afghan students. In 2009: Romania has provided support to the project International Cooperation in Border Management through training of trainers which aims promoting international cooperation between target countries and facilitates the exchange of information, experience and good practices in the field of border management. Representatives from selected ASEM countries as well as from Afghanistan (8 police officers) will be invited to participate in the training programme. This has been implemented by the IOM in cooperation with the Ministry of Administration and Interior of Romania, through the Romanian Border Police School for Initial and Continuous Training in Iasi, Romania. policemen to EU's police mission in Afghanistan. Romania also hopes to channel its future efforts into establishing or contributing to an existing Provincial Reconstruction Team. Romanian Contribution to the World Food Programme, earmarked for Afghanistan EUR 150,000 (USD 223,000). The Romanian Ministry of Education also provided support in the form of scholarships for a number of 20 students from Afghanistan, for a total of EUR 20,000 (USD 29,700). In addition eight police officers are participating in a training programme on International Cooperation in Border Management, implemented by the International Organization for Migration in cooperation with the Ministry of Administration and Interior of Romania, through the Romanian Border Police School for Initial and Continuous Training in Iasi, Romania. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ms. Ana-Maria Popeia Bucharest, Romania Tel: +40 (0) anamaria.popeia@mae.ro II. EU Donor Profiles ROMANIA The Development Assistance Division within the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently in the process of planning the Official Development Assistance budget for The focal areas of involvement in Afghanistan will be good governance and the rule of law. There will also be continued focus on building Afghan capacity and effective Afghan institutions, so that Afghanistan can take control of its own security, governance and development (i.e. training the Afghan police officers, civil servants, judges, border personnel). Furthermore, Romania within the framework of NATO contributes 1,047 troops to International Security Assistance Force at present and 5 33

38 SLOVENIA SLOVENIA Slovenia's engagement in Afghanistan is comprehensive and includes both military and civilian. Slovenia has been providing official development assistance to Afghanistan since During the period , most funds were earmarked for aid to Afghan refugees (EUR 231,394). Prior to that, Slovenia provided humanitarian aid, including material relief assistance and medical equipment, in addition to deploying fire fighters to the Kabul International Airport. Slovenia plans on increasing its presence in the Province of Herat. Slovenia's projects will focus on rural development and agriculture (veterinary projects); good governance, rule of law and human rights; infrastructure and natural resources (use of renewable energy resources). There will also be programmes in the education, culture, media fields (university cooperation, exchange in culture, support for the media and information sharing). The support provided through its projects is estimated to be EUR 370,000 (2010) and 395,000 (2011). In the context of military assistance, Slovenia's engagement focuses on participation within the framework of International Security Assistance Force, including significant donations and training for the Afghan National Army as well as work within Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team. Slovenia has also recently entered into the PRT in Herat as second nation and as part of CIMIC Centre. Its civil functional experts support the CIMIC team in relation to international and non-governmental organisations as well as subnational governance institutions. Deployed in November 2008, their work focuses on the areas of legal affairs, public administration, development planning and humanitarian assistance. In the media sector, Slovenia has contributed a new studio for public television broadcasting and technical improvements at a news agency. Equipment for vocational training and support to a national humanitarian organization and its centre for the mentally disabled is also planned. In 2009, Slovenia allocated EUR 91,798 for the preparatory phase of development projects and for the abovementioned projects. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Division for International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance Directorate for Policy Planning and Multilateral Relations, Prešernova 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Tel: Fax: Slovenia's support to Afghanistan during the period of amounted to EUR 231,394 (USD 344,196) and in 2009 Slovenia allocated EUR 91,798 (USD 136,500). The value of projects during is estimated to be EUR 765,000 (USD 1.13 million). Inauguration of a new TV studio at Herat Radio and TV station 34

39 SLOVAKIA Afghanistan has been is one of the main priority countries of the Slovak development assistance since Slovakia provides its development assistance to Afghanistan in line with the sectoral priorities of the Afghan National Development Strategy, which includes support to building democratic institutions, civil society, social development, health care and education, developing economic and market environment and infrastructure. During the period Slovak organisations and NGOs implemented development projects amounting to EUR 1.7 million. In the period from Slovakia delivered aid amounting to EUR 11 million (USD 16 million) and provided funding for polio vaccination for 250,000 children. The Slovak Government is currently in the process of preparing in-kind humanitarian assistance (EUR 100,000) with the aim of channelling it to people afflicted by natural disasters in the Province of Uruzgan. At present, there are approximately 250 Slovak soldiers serving in Afghanistan as part of International Security Assistance Force, 100 of who together with the Dutch, Australian and French soldiers are based in the Province of Uruzgan. Furthermore, Slovak soldiers work in Provincial Reconstruction Teams thereby contributing to development projects and the training of Afghan soldiers. A medical team has also recently been deployed in Afghanistan as a part of NATO Election Support Force. II. EU Donor Profiles Embassy of Slovakia No. 38, Sarlashgar Fallahi Street P.O.BOX: Tehran, Iran Tel: +98 (0) svkemb@parsonline.net SLOVAKIA 35

40 FINLAND Finland has been an active bilateral donor in Afghanistan since Aligned with the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, the over-arching goal of Finland's engagement in Afghanistan is to contribute consistently and effectively to Afghan reconstruction with a view to preventing Afghanistan from slipping back to conflict. Rule of law, governance and counternarcotics remain sectors with the most direct bearing on preventing the return to conflict. Finland therefore focuses on two Afghanistan National Development Strategy sectors: (1) Governance, rule of law and human rights, with an emphasis on sub-national governance and police; (2) Rural development and agriculture, placing special focus on alternative livelihoods to poppy farming. FINLAND Finland's current annual development aid to Afghanistan is at the level of approximately EUR 10 million (USD million). It projects to increase its contribution incrementally by EUR 1-2 million per annum during , aiming at an overall aid volume of EUR 16 million (USD million) by The total pledges to date ( ) amount to EUR 120 million (USD million) and disbursements to date ( ), first year mainly humanitarian aid result in a total EUR 90 million (USD million). Finland is particularly encouraged by both the concrete development results derived from the NSP and microcredit schemes under the Microfinance Investment Facility for Afghanistan; both these programmes have received Finnish development assistance. Embassy of Finland House 39, Lane 1, Street 10, Wazir Akbar Khan Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) Website: 36

41 SWEDEN Sweden provided support to Afghanistan through the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan as early as It started with initiatives in the field of health and was followed a few years later by education and agriculture. After the fall of the Taliban the long term development efforts gradually took over from the humanitarian support initially provided, although currently the share of humanitarian support is increasing again. The Swedish development support has increased each year since 2001 and in 2008 Afghanistan became the third largest recipient of Swedish development and humanitarian support combined. Sweden's development assistance to Afghanistan is governed by a multi-annual strategy and the present Cooperation Strategy, valid from July 2009 to the end of 2013, is fully aligned with the priorities set out by the Afghanistan National Development Strategy. The priority sectors in the strategy are i) democratic governance and human rights, ii) education, and iii) private sector development including infrastructure. Gender equality and conflict perspectives will be mainstreamed in all programmes. Within the support to democratic governance and human rights, support to people with disabilities and work towards ensuring sexual and reproductive health and rights will be specifically included. In addition, support to mine clearance will continue. The Swedish support strives to have a national impact and most funds are channelled to national programmes, either through ARTF, UN agencies or NGO's. Approximately 25% of the total contribution for development goes to the four Northern Provinces of Samangan, Sar-e-Pul, Jowzjan and Balkh, where the Swedish led PRT is based. Embassy of Sweden Ms. Sara Gustafsson Country Manager for Development House 70, Lane 1, St. 15, Wazir Akbar Khan Kabul, Afghanistan Tel +93 (0) , +93 (0) sara.gustafsson@foreign.ministry.se ambassaden.kabul@foreign.ministry.se II. EU Donor Profiles SWEDEN The total disbursement of Swedish development cooperation with Afghanistan between reached as high as EUR 222 million (SEK 2.5 billion). This includes both development cooperation and humanitarian assistance. In 2008 approximately EUR million (SEK 454 million) was disbursed whereof EUR million (SEK 354 million) in development cooperation, EUR 1.95 million (SEK 20 million) in special support through Swedish NGOs, and EUR 7.8 million (SEK 80 million) in humanitarian assistance. Photo: Courtesy Mats Lignell 37

42 UNITED KINGDOM UNITED KINGDOM The UK is committed to helping the Afghan people build a stable and more prosperous future. Since 2001, the UK has spent almost 885 million on humanitarian, reconstruction and development assistance to Afghanistan. The UK is Afghanistan's second largest bilateral donor and in 2006 the British Prime Minster and Afghan President signed a 10-year Development Partnership Arrangement showing the UK's long-term commitment to Afghanistan. Its programme is a national one but also provides direct support to Helmand Province where UK armed forces are working with Afghans to provide security. The UK is committed to providing long-term and predictable assistance to Afghanistan in support of Afghanistan's National Development Strategy. At least half of its annual budget will be spent through Afghan Government systems in order to maximise impact and build Afghanistan's capacity to manage its own affairs. The UK also provides additional support for stabilisation activities, counter-narcotics and rule of law. At a national level, the UK aims to make the Afghan Government more effective by helping it to raise revenue, tackle corruption and create and implement budgets. It also helps improve the efficiency of state institutions and makes them more accountable and responsive to Afghan citizens. The UK works with Government to create employment opportunities for men and women, particularly in the agriculture sector and with Afghan business leaders to help develop the private sector. It is focused on aid effectiveness and is committed to working with the international community to ensure that aid has the maximum impact. It also recognises that Afghanistan will remain vulnerable to natural and man-made crises so it works with humanitarian organisations and the Government to bring immediate support to those affected. The UK is also the G8 Partner nation on Counter-Narcotics and supports the Afghan Government's efforts to deliver justice and provide licit livelihoods. In Helmand, the UK works in partnership with the Afghan government to bring security, governance and development to the people who live there. The United Kingdom's support to Afghanistan between and totalled around EUR million ( 885 million). British Embassy 15th Street Roundabout Wazir Akbar Khan PO Box 334 Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) enquiry@dfid.gov.uk Website: 38