GENEVA: Dozens of nations began pledging billions of dollars in aid for Afghanistan at a conference in Geneva on Tuesday, hoping that peace negotiations recently begun between the government and the Taliban will end nearly two decades of war.
During the lead-up to the quadrennial international donors conference, diplomats reckoned Afghanistan could receive 15-20% less funding than the roughly $15.2 billion pledged at the last conference in Brussels in 2016 due to uncertainties over the peace process and difficulties securing commitments from governments financially strapped by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Despite our suffering, I want to be very clear that our commitment to negotiations with the Taliban remains firm…,” Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said, joining the virtual conference in a video link from Kabul.
“We must bring an end to the violence that is haunting our lives and robbing our children of the joys of childhood.”
Also addressing the conference, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire as soon as possible.
Violence has escalated while negotiators have struggled to make progress since talks began in Qatar in September.
As the conference proceeded, two explosions buffeted a market in the central province of Bamyan, usually considered one of Afghanistan’s safest areas, killing at least 14 people and wounding almost 45, mostly civilians.
Diplomats said keeping financing for Afghanistan on a tight rein could provide foreign governments with some leverage to inject a greater sense of urgency into the peace process.
Uncertainty whether the compromises needed for peace might lead to backsliding on human and women’s rights has made some countries wary about making long-term commitments to an Afghan administration, which needs foreign money to cover about three-quarters of its spending.
The European Union pledged 1.2 billion euros ($1.43 billion)over four years at Tuesday’s conference but emphasised aid was conditional on strict requirements.
“Afghanistan’s future trajectory must preserve the democratic and human rights gains since 2001, most notably as regards to women and children’s rights,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
“Any attempt to restore an Islamic emirate would have an impact on our political and financial engagement,” he added, referring to the Taliban’s previous hardline Islamist rule between 1996 and 2001.
Conference organisers have said that a key to getting countries to pledge was adding strict conditions on protecting human rights as well as curbing corruption. Some countries such as Britain announced pledges covering only one year.
Britain said it would pledge $227 million in annual civilian and food aid, France pledged 88 million euros ($104.20 million) and Canada 270 million Canadian dollars ($206.66 million).
Major donors Germany and the United States will not announce their pledges until later on Tuesday so it was not immediately clear whether overall funding would match the 2016 total.
($1 = 0.8413 euros)
($1 = 1.3065 Canadian dollars)
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