Finland to continue its strong support for reconstruction of Afghanistan

Press release 30/2006
1 February, 2006


The International Conference on Afghanistan, held in London on 31 January – 1 February, accepted a five-year outline, the Afghanistan Compact, aiming at improvement of the security situation in the country, development of the country, and execution of nation rebuilding. Afghanistan cannot develop from a country ravaged by war into a fully functional and stable community without a long-term commitment from the international community, as well as the country's own national leadership and other actors in the society.

At the London conference, there were ministerial-level representatives from about fifty states, and participants from numerous international organisations. Finland was represented by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Mari Kiviniemi.

In the Finnish address to the conference, Kiviniemi pointed out that, in the past four years, major progress has been made in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. It is advisable to continue this work between different participants in a coordinated manner and in accordance with the guidelines for future development the conference now agreed upon. "A contribution to the development of Afghanistan is, at the same time, a contribution to international security and stable development in a larger scale," Kiviniemi emphasises.

Kiviniemi announced in the conference that Finland will make a long-term commitment to the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, and allocate 50 million euros for the purpose over the next five-year period 2006-2010.

Finland has supported the reconstruction of Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban rule in 2001. Finland will continue to participate in improving the security situation in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF.

In connection with the London Conference on Afghanistan was also held a so-called Troika meeting between the EU and Afghanistan at a ministerial level. Minister Kiviniemi attended the meeting as representative of the next country holding the EU Presidency. The development of Afghanistan will be one of the most important EU external relations affairs during the forthcoming Finnish Presidency of the EU.

Additional information: Counsellor Mikko Pyhälä, Unit for Asia and Oceania, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5523