§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development who will represent the UK Government at the first meeting of the Implementation Group (Tokyo) due to meet in Kabul on 19 April; and if she will make a statement. [47702]
§ Hilary BennSenior officials from DFID will represent the UK at the Implementation Group meeting in Kabul, which is scheduled to take place from 10 to 11 April.
This will be the first meeting of the Implementation Group since the Ministerial Conference that was held in Tokyo in January 2002. Around 150 participants are expected to attend, approximately a third of whom will be representing Afghan line ministries. Issues for discussion are likely to include the National Development Framework; an analysis of donor pledges and commitments; a progress report on the Immediate and Transitional Assistance Programme (ITAP) for Afghanistan in 2002; and modalities of the World Bank Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF).