The EU's contribution to Afghanistan's reconstruction process

The EU is fully committed to all aspects of the Afghan process: it hosted the Bonn Conference which provided the blue print for Afghanistan's future; it has been a major donor of humanitarian aid (352 million Euros since September 2001 alone); and it has from the outset repeatedly declared its clear support for the long term reconstruction effort.

The pledges announced by EU Member States and the European Commission in the Tokyo Conference are tangible proof of this political engagement. For the year 2002, the EU has pledged some 600 million Euros (546 million US$), with 400 million Euros corresponding to Member States contributions and 200 to the European Commission. This represents over 30 % of the estimated needs and of the total amount announced in Tokyo by the international community for the year 2002.

It is clear that the Afghan reconstruction process requires a sustained effort over a long period of time. This has been reflected in the contributions made public in Tokyo by the Member States and the Commission. The amounts pledged so far for 2002 to 2006 are close to 2.3 billion Euros (2.1 billion US$). This represents 23% of the UNDP WB needs assessment for the coming five years and over 45% of the total announced pledges of the international community over the same period.

These very substantial and sustained contributions will necessarily require the endorsement by the relevant budgetary authorities of Member States and of the European Community (European Council and European Parliament).

The EU has stressed during the Conference, that these long term contributions are conditional on the full implementation of the letter and the spirit of the Bonn/Petersberg Agreement, which is the best guarantee for the establishment of a representative Government, as well as a new social, political, and economic reality, based on democratic values and the respect for human rights, gender equality and political and religious tolerance.

The EU would like to express its gratitude for the enormous effort undertaken by Japan in organizing the Conference, and congratulates it on the results achieved.

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• The European Union and Afghanistan (30/3/2004)
• Commissioner Patten's speech on Afghanistan Strategic Forum (17/3/2003)
• EU Presidency Statement - The situation in Afghanistan (19/7/2002)
• EU humanitarian aid to earthquakes in the Hindu Kush region (Afghanistan) (26/3/2002)
• EU Presidency Statement - Security Council on Afganistan (26/3/2002)
• Commissioner Patten's speech on Reconstructing Afghanistan (20/2/2002)
• EU to co-chair Afghanistan Reconstruction Steering Group (18/1/2002)
• EU humanitarian operations in Afghanistan (21/12/2001)
• EU support for Afghanistan (14/12/2001)
• Commissioner Patten welcomes outcome of Bonn talks on Afghanistan (6/12/2001)
• EU humanitarian aid for Afghanistan (30/11/2001)
• EU humanitarian aid to Afghanistan (6/11/2001)
• EU humanitarian aid for Afghanistan (18/10/2001)
• EU humanitarian aid to Afghanistan (8/10/2001)
• EU humanitarian aid to Afghanistan (7/9/2001)
• EU humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan (19/4/2001)
• EU humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Moluccan Islands (24/1/2001)