Jimmy Deenihan
Question:85 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the consideration which is being given by the European Union to the needs of Afghanistan. [21521/02]
Written Answers. - Overseas Development Aid.
Ireland, together with its EU partners, has welcomed the remarkable progress achieved in Afghanistan over the past 12 months. We remain committed at EU and UN levels to the full implementation of the Bonn Agreement and to a peaceful, democratic society in Afghanistan. However, we recognise the enormous challenges remaining in all sectors – political, economic, humanitarian and reconstruction.
At EU level, I was especially pleased by the re-appointment of Francesc Vendrell as EU Special Representative to Afghanistan at the end of October. Mr. Vendrell, who is based in Kabul and has great experience of the region, is working closely with the Afghan authorities to implement the EU's policy in Afghanistan, in co-ordination with UN Special Representative Brahimi, and regional neighbours. Mr. Vendrell reports on all issues to the EU, and his assessments contribute significantly to identifying key concerns. He recently stressed that the EU and the international community must further encourage the Afghan Government to move forward to ensure viable elections in 2004.
Following the conclusions adopted by the General Affairs Council of 22 July, an EU Troika is visiting the region this week, 11-12 November. Its focus is to seek information about the status of the Bonn Agreement and the future requirements of Afghanistan for assistance. This mission provides an important opportunity to assess fully the progress made since the adoption of the Council conclusions, and to discuss a road map for future co-operation between the EU and the Afghanistan Transitional Authority, ATA. The results of this Troika will further inform our approach during the coming months.
At UN level, the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan reported this month on the ongoing work of the new Afghanistan Transitional Administration, including the Administration's elaboration of a national development framework and budget. He also provided an update on the various commissions mandated by the Bonn Agreement – the civil service and constitutional, human rights, and judicial commissions. The Secretary General further set out the efforts by the international community to provide humanitarian assistance, and to support the Afghan Government in reconstruction activities. He also reported his concerns in relation to the security climate, in particular the growing number of acts of terrorism and political violence.
As a member of the Security Council, Ireland continues to underline the crucial importance of a humanitarian strategy to parallel the political and security one. Last week, Ireland organised an informal meeting of Security Council members to hear two key experts on human rights – Dr. Asma Jahangir, special rapporteur on extra judicial, summary or arbitrary executions and Dr. Kamal Hossain, special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan. The speakers noted that while enormous progress had been made in relation to human rights, ongoing insecurity and the activities of warlords made it difficult to establish the rule of law. Both speakers recorded their view that the 23 years of conflict had almost completely destroyed the justice system in Afghanistan.
Ireland provides bilateral assistance to Afghanistan through Irish non-governmental organisations and international agencies. At the International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan, which took place in Tokyo in January 2002, the Government pledged €12 million in reconstruction support over a three-year period, €5.3 million of which has already been delivered to date. An additional €2.2 million was delivered in emergency humanitarian assistance and another €250,000 was pro vided to the UNDP law and order trust fund in support of civil police capacity building in Afghanistan. This brings Ireland's assistance to date in 2002 to €7.75 million. Irish emergency humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan amounted to over €5.08 million in 2001. We will review the position on a continuing basis.
The EU is also fully committed to delivering a major contribution to the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The European Commission and the EU member states made substantial pledges for the reconstruction of Afghanistan at the Tokyo conference totalling €594 million for 2002 alone. In addition, the EU has committed €240 million in emergency humanitarian assistance. The European Commission has also recently adopted a new humanitarian aid package worth €17.6 million to support former refugees returning to Afghanistan from neighbouring countries as well as for internally displaced people and other vulnerable and drought-affected populations.