Afghanistan Conference
At the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan, the Afghan government is to set out its vision and track record on reform with a view to obtaining further support.
On 5 October 2016, the European Union and the government of Afghanistan will co-host the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan. This will provide a platform for the Afghan government to set out its vision and track record on reform. The Brussels Conference follows the Tokyo Conference (July 2012) and the London Conference (December 2014). In Tokyo, the international community had agreed upon a mutual accountability framework, whereby long-term support of Afghanistan’s development was linked to tangible progress being made on the implementation of reforms in Afghanistan. Up to 70 countries and 30 international organisations and agencies will be taking part in the conference in Brussels.
Joint efforts for increased effectiveness
The conference will focus on three aspects. First: joint international and Afghan efforts to increase the effectiveness of sustained international support and funding, on the basis of a new Afghan national development framework. Second: Afghan reform efforts, including on economic reform, rule of law, improved public finance management and anti-corruption, so as to ensure the provision of the most important services and public goods. And third: regional efforts to support a political process towards peace and cross-border economic cooperation. Side events on women’s empowerment and regional connectivity will take place on 4 October 2016. In addition, an EU-Afghanistan high level dialogue meeting on migration will be organised in the margins of the conference.
Against the backdrop of the sharp rise in migration of Afghans to Europe, Germany is keen above all to create prospects that will stop people leaving Afghanistan and encourage those who have left to return. To this end, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is expanding training and employment programmes in Afghanistan. After the USA and Japan, Germany is the third-largest bilateral donor to Afghanistan.
Brussels Conference on Afghanistan on 5 October 2016
