JAPAN: Donors gather in Tokyo for Afghan aid conference.

Record ID: 277687

  • Title: JAPAN: Donors gather in Tokyo for Afghan aid conference.
  • Date: 7th July 2012
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JULY 7, 2012) (REUTERS) TOKYO AFGHAN CONFERENCE DELEGATES AT RECEPTION IN TOKYO UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON ENTERING RECEPTION WITH FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER LAURENT FABIUS WAITER HOLDING TRAY OF DRINKS BAN GREETING DELEGATES JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER KOICHIRO GEMBA GIVING SPEECH AT RECEPTION (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER, K
  • Embargoed: 22nd July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: People
  • Reuters ID: LVACBAA2Q7TGKV7JPKU9TJZH5KP8
  • Story Text: The Tokyo Afghanistan Conference may not have even started, but global leaders were already cracking out the drinks on Saturday (July 7).
    Donor countries will meet in the Japanese capital on Sunday (July 8) to secure aid commitments for Afghanistan in the years up to 2014, when most NATO troops will depart.

    "This is a vital conference for Afghanistan, so it can create a viable path for sustainable development beyond 2015," Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told delegates in Tokyo.
    After over 10 years and billions of dollars in outside aid, Afghanistan remains one of the world's 10 poorest countries, while widespread corruption continues to undermine outsiders' willingness to send much-needed investment.
    Afghanistan's central bank estimates that $6-7 billion a year in aid will be needed over the next decade to foster economic growth in a country with few thriving industries.
    In June, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he expected donor nations to pledge about $4 billion at the conference.

    "I sincerely hope to receive commitments, strong demonstrations of support, from every organisation and country at tomorrow's conference," added Gemba.
    On Sunday, Karzai will meet representatives of NATO nations including the foreign ministers of France and Germany, Britain's minister for international aid, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
    The U.N.'s Ban Ki-moon will also attend the conference.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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