Reconstruction of Afghanistan Long Way to Go: Roundup

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, January 21, 2002

Reconstruction of Afghanistan Long Way to Go: Roundup

World leaders and representatives gathered in Tokyo on Monday at an international aid conference on rebuilding Afghanistan, but the reconstruction of the war-ravaged country has a long way to go.

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World leaders and representatives gathered in Tokyo on Monday at an international aid conference on rebuilding Afghanistan, but the reconstruction of the war-ravaged country has a long way to go.

Leaders and representatives from over 60 countries and 20 international organizations, including Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, participated in the on-going two-day conference.

Hamid Karzai, chairman of the Afghan interim government, called on the international communities to provide urgent and more funds for the reconstruction of Afghanistan at the opening session of the conference.

"I am hoping very much that I will go back to my country, to my people, with full hands," he said.

The ultimate goal of Afghanistan is self-sufficiency, but Afghan people must start with international financial assistance at this moment, Karzai noted.

The Afghan interim leader pledged that Afghan government will fully be committed to accountability, transparency and efficiency in the use of financial aid.

During the opening session, Japanese Prime Minster Junchiro Koizumi pledged 500 million dollars to the reconstruction plan, followed by U.S. with 290 million, Germany 280 million, Britain 280 million and Saudi Arabia 220 million.

World Bank chief James D. Wolfensohn said that he would propose to the World Bank's shareholders 500 million dollars in concessional assistance to Afghanistan over the next 30 months, with immediate action to provide an additional 50 million to 70 million dollars in grants.

The commitments by these countries and donations by other countries which would follow suit, are still far from enough to meet the actual needs of Afghan reconstruction.

To rebuilt Afghanistan, a total of 4.9 billion dollars are needed in the next two and half years, and 14.6 billion required in the next decade, according to an assessment jointly released by the world bank, the U.N. Development Program and the Asian Bank prior to the conference.

After years of wars and conflicts, Afghanistan is reduced to a practically primitive state. When Hamid Karzai was sworn in as the Afghan interim government leader last December, the war-torn country had nothing but devastation.

The economy has collapsed, with four out of five Afghans being illiterate and one-fifth children perished before five years old. The central Asian country has no stable and functional administration for years, with a whole generation grown up with no memory of any government delivering any social services.

U.N. officials have urged countries to act quickly to prevent the possible collapse of the interim Afghan government, which is facing stern challenges of resettling refugees, removing land mines, rebuilding roads and bridges.

Participants in Tokyo conference agree that a strong show of financial support for Afghanistan and a speedy aid will be key to the survival of the newly established Afghan interim government.

The Tokyo conference, co-chaired by the United States, Japan, the European Union and Saudi Arabia, provides enormous opportunities for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, but it is the only first step, analysts say.

The actual implementation of the reconstruction will have a direct influence on the stability of the Afghanistan. In the long run, making the Afghan people stand on its own feet is the key to durable peace and stability of the nation.

But that will not be easy and the reconstruction is destined to be a long and complicated process which needs long-term arduous works from all sides.

U.N. Secretary General Annan in his speech said that the conference opened a window of opportunities for the recovery of Afghanistan but warned that success can not be taken for granted.

He expressed his hope that the Afghan people be given "a chance to rebuild a state at peace with itself and its neighbors.

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