Aid total beats all hopes, says Afghan delegate
( 2002-01-22 14:04 ) (7 )

International pledges amounting to US$4.5 billion for Afghanistan's reconstruction were beyond the interim government's most optimistic hopes, an Afghan delegate said Tuesday.

"All of this comes to us as a surprise," Torek Faradi, economic adviser to the Afghan government, said.

"We never thought that some day in Tokyo so many countries would pledge such a figure. It's unprecedented."

Donors meeting in Tokyo for two-day talks pledged US$1.8 billion for Afghanistan's reconstruction in 2002, and US$4.5 billion over the longer term, according to the final statement.

"Those pledges make us a very credible, solvent country," Faradi said.

Reinforcing the Afghan central bank "is a priority because all donors will require a checks and balances mechanism", he added.

"We are fully conscious that if a mistake is made, we might lose our donor public's trust."

The European Union, describing the pledges as "amazing", said it was looking for an Afghan treasury to be created to receive the larger donations.

Smaller amounts could go in to an internationally administered trust fund for Afghanistan, said Etienne Reuter, the European Commission spokesman in Tokyo.

"Certainly the big donors will wish to channel their donations, their assistance, straight into the exchequer of Afghanistan. That's why we insist that... we want as quickly as possible a proper and serious budget, a proper functioning treasury in Afghanistan."

Reuter dismissed any criticism that the United States' contribution of nearly US$300 million in 2002 was too small.

"Nobody is belittling anybody's contribution to this. The results, the pledges are quite amazing considering some of the reservations people might have had," he said.

"You have a lot of money for the first year. If you can spend that efficiently, that will make a difference."