Aid donors said yesterday they would pledge over US$3 billion for rebuilding Afghanistan to ensure that the war-ravaged land never again becomes a breeding ground for terrorism.
The offers from the EU, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the US and others poured in as delegates at a two-day conference in Tokyo grappled with the complexities of a process that aid experts say will require some US$15 billion over 10 years.
"In order to eradicate terrorism, we must eliminate the conditions that allow terrorism to take root," said Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, announcing his country's pledge of US$500 million over two-and-a-half years.
Afghanistan was one of the world's poorest countries even before a US-led bombing campaign, launched in retaliation for the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon.
Kabul's interim leader, Hamid Karzai, promised to create a credible government to undertake the rebuilding but said the money was needed quickly to shore up his administration.
"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," the soft-spoken tribal chief said, clad in his trademark purple and green Uzbek robe.
Donors agree that rebuilding Afghanistan is vital, but want to be sure the money is not wasted or funnelled into the hands of rival warlords in a country still troubled by internal strife.
Karzai sought assurances that the world would not again turn its back on his country and that aid would flow fast enough to keep his fragile government from losing credibility with the people.
"While we understand the procedural requirements for the delivery of international aid, unfortunately, we have seen little sign from the international community in response to our urgent needs," Karzai said. "We have one fear: that without the full partnership of the international community, Afghanistan may falter again."
Life expectancy in Afghanistan 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.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who told the conference the US would provide US$296 million in aid this fiscal year and more later, vowed Washington would not walk away.
"President Bush has made it clear that the United States will not abandon Afghanistan," Powell said.
International donors, however, want to make sure the assistance is well accounted for and that corruption does not lead the funds astray.
"The fact that Afghanistan is starting from scratch doesn't mean we ought to look the other way," US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill told reporters accompanying him on his trip.
Asked about fears the aid would find its way into warlord's coffers, O'Neill said: "People do desperate things if they're desperate.
It's not something we have six months to think about.
"We need to support them and we need to get money flows, but the money flows need to get goods and services, not just buy people off."
Donor countries also want proof that Karzai has a plan for creating a viable economy and a democratic society, concerns that Karzai sought to address.
"Although the interim administration has been in place for only one month, we have already agreed on a vision for the road ahead. Our vision is of a prosperous and secure Afghanistan," he said.
RSS