Afghanistan

Background

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 healthcare and schooling. Although some real progress is being made, Afghanistan is currently off track to meet all Millennium Development Goals.Securing Afghanistan's future - Why the UK is in Afghanistan

• 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.

On 29 June 2008, at a meeting in Kabul of business leaders and Afghan Government officials, Development Secretary Douglas Alexander pledged £30 million pounds of UK money towards the Afghan Investment Climate Facility (AICF), an independent fund that will help Afghanistan improve its business environment.

The AICF aims to raise $100 million to fast-track changes in business rules and regulations and make it attractive for businesses to invest in Afghanistan. Read the press release for more information about the AICF.

On 21 August 2008, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced an increased aid contribution of $140 million to boost communications and education in Afghanistan. Read more on the Number 10 website: More support for Afghanistan.

• Read more on DFID’s Programme in Afghanistan
• Contribute to the consultation on Afghanistan's next country plan
• Current DFID vacancies in Afghanistan
  

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Links

• FCO in Afghanistan
• MOD in Afghanistan
• BBC Afghanistan focus
• Afghanistan Information Monitoring Service
• Afghanistan National Development Strategy
• UK and Afghanistan: Securing Afghanistan’s Future
• World Bank Afghanistan
• Joint Co-ordination Monitoring Board
• Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit

Last updated: 22 August 2008