Afghanistan
Background
  Securing
Afghanistan's future - Why the UK is in Afghanistan
Following decades of turmoil and conflict, Afghanistan is one of the poorest
countries in the world. Because of conflict and insecurity, the people of
Afghanistan have for years been denied the basic services that we take for
granted, like health care and schooling. Although some real progress is being
made, Afghanistan is currently off track to meet all Millennium Development
Goals.
- One in 4 Afghan children dies before their fifth birthday;
- More than half of the population are thought to live below $1 a day
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Progress since 2001
- Over 5 million children are now in school, over a third of them
girls – a stark contrast to when it was illegal for girls to go to
school.
- 4.8 million refugees have returned home.
- 40,000 fewer babies die each year compared to under the Taliban
rule.
- The number of functioning health clinics has increased by 60%.
- The proportion of women receiving antenatal care increased from 5%
in 2003 to 30% in 2006.
- The legal economy grew by 8% in 2006/07.
- 70% of registered voters participated in the 2004 Presidential
elections.
- 51% of registered voters participated in the 2005 Parliamentary and
Provincial Council elections.
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DFID in Afghanistan
 Since 2001, the Department for International Development has spent over £490 million
on reconstruction and development in Afghanistan. The UK is Afghanistan’s second
largest bilateral donor, after the US, spending over £100 million in 06/07. Over the
last three years the size of DFID’s programme has grown substantially and
further increases are planned in future years. In 2007/08 we expect to spend
£107 million, rising to £115 million in 2008/09.
At the
London
Conference on Afghanistan in January 2006, the Prime Minister Tony Blair and
Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed a
10-year Development Partnership Arrangement, showing the UK’s long-term
commitment to Afghanistan. This includes a commitment of £330 million of development
assistance to Afghanistan over three years from 2006-09 as part of a total UK
package of £500 million - which includes funding for other activities such as
counter-narcotics.
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Links
Last updated: 07 April 2008
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