RIYADH, 14 November 2002 — The Kingdom has pledged $220 million in economic assistance over a period of four years for the reconstruction of Afghanistan as part of a multilateral effort involving the United States, Japan and the European Union.
This was disclosed in an exclusive interview to Arab News by Ambassador David T. Johnson, US coordinator for Afghanistan, who said the amount would be disbursed under a phased program.
Johnson said he came here in view of the important role that the Kingdom has been playing in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
The special envoy, who was in Riyadh as part of his swing through the Gulf states, held talks with Minister of Finance and National Economy Ibrahim Al-Assaf, senior officials of the Saudi Fund for Development, and the secretary-general of the GCC for sounding him on the GCC states’ contribution to the Afghanistan reconstruction program.
Johnson said the Kingdom’s economic aid, to be disbursed through SFD, would be utilized for the construction of a $260 million road linking Kabul to Herat and Kandahar.
The US has committed $80 million for the road project followed by Japan ($50 million) and Saudi Arabia ($30 million). The road project, expected to be completed in three years, is of strategic importance, as it links the Afghan capital with Pashtun areas up to Kandahar down south.
The project got under way last Sunday when President Abdul Hamid Karzai presided over a groundbreaking ceremony outside Kabul with the representatives from the four regions participating in the event.
The special envoy said that during his talks with Al-Assaf, he briefed the finance minister on the current situation in Afghanistan "and how we can work together to help the Afghans mobilize these resources."
Johnson said he reviewed the global economic situation during his meeting with Abdul Rahman Al-Attiya, the GCC secretary-general. He also encouraged the GCC states to be more generous in their contributions to the rehabilitation program.
Already, the UAE has pledged $50 million, while Kuwait has committed $30 million.
In reply to a question, he said the US presence in Afghanistan would be for the long haul. "We are not going to abandon them while much more remains to be done. Moreover, we have to rid the country of terrorism and bring peace and stability to that region."
He said the international community has also been supportive in rebuilding Afghanistan’s war-torn infrastructure. Schools are coming up and irrigation facilities are being restored as part of the rehabilitation program.
Cross-border trade with the neighboring Central Asian republics has also resumed. Much more remains to be done with the return of two million refugees last year. However, the reconstruction program is proceeding according to a schedule that was drawn up under the Bonn Agreement earlier.
