Press Release
29 August 2007
Building a new Afghanistan
UK
International Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander, today announced £55
million that will help pay the salaries of Afghan teachers, doctors and nurses,
as part of the UK’s total support to Afghanistan of £500 million over three
years.
Mr Alexander, on his first visit to Afghanistan, met with His Excellency Dr Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady, Minister of Finance of Afghanistan, and confirmed the UK’s long term commitment to supporting Afghanistan as it rebuilds itself after decades of conflict and turmoil.
Mr Alexander said:
“Rebuilding Afghanistan requires long term commitment from the UK and the rest of the international community.
“Real progress is being made in spite of severe challenges in one of the poorest countries in the world. Better health care is now saving the lives of 40,000 babies a year. Under the Taliban, girls were not allowed to go to school. Now 5.4 million children go to school, nearly 2 million of them girls.
“The international community can do more to support the building of an effective state in Afghanistan. The majority of UK aid goes through the Government, making it better value for money than aid through other channels, and more than four times as effective at supporting the local economy. Failing to support Afghan solutions to Afghan problems risks undermining the emerging nation.
“The prevailing media images of conflict only tell part of the story. Growth in the economy, refugees returning home, more and better health care and schools, and democratic elections are the other stories that tell of improvements in the everyday lives of millions of Afghans.”
Dr Ahady warmly thanked the Government of the UK for its continued assistance to Afghanistan, and maintained:
“Despite the good progress we have made during the past five years, we still have much to do. In this long process, we need the firm commitment of our international partners. The United Kingdom is one of the major donors to Afghanistan. I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the strong relationship we have had with the UK. We look forward to a continued strong collaboration with the UK as we work towards building a new Afghanistan.”
During his visit Mr Alexander visited a school outside Kabul and met headteacher, Mr Malem Ayub, who has taught children in the area for more than 40 years. The new building, recently constructed and giving the school its first permanent structure, is only one of the simple changes that are transforming the lives of Afghans.
The latest funding from DFID will be spent through the
Afghan
Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). It will help to pay the salaries of
teachers in Afghanistan, to build and repair roads, provide small loans to
businesses, and fund development in villages throughout the country. Through the
ARTF 9,000 kilometres of roads have already been built and repaired, more than
330,000 small businesses and families have received loans, and 29,000 projects
created to improve irrigation, electricity supplies and bridges.
The UK has spent more than £490 million on reconstruction and development
since 2001. DFID is spending £107 million this year, with plans to increase this
further over coming years. The UK aid programme supports the aims of the
Afghan
Government National Development Strategy in building a better, lasting future
for the country.
For further information, contact Nic Fearon-Low on 020 7023 0533 or 020 7023 0600, e-mail pressoffice@dfid.gov.uk or call our Public Enquiries Point on 0845 300 4100.
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