§ Tony WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the UK Government and other key donors are taking to address the shortfall in funding to the Afghan Government for promoting Afghanistan's recovery. [78215]
§ Clare ShortThe international donor community has now disbursed $1.3 billion of the $1.8 billion pledge for 2002; of this, a total of $200 million has been paid into the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, which is used by the Afghanistan Transitional Administration to meet recurrent costs and finance the most pressing of reconstruction requirements. Recent payments into the fund mean that the ATA now faces a far smaller potential budget deficit this financial year than was originally feared but my Department is continuing to work closely with other donors to help ensure budget requirements are fully met. In addition, I recently approved a contribution of $20 million in support of Afghanistan's arrears clearance with the major international financial institutions, and am confident this will enable the Asia development bank and world bank to finance the implementation of substantial reconstruction initiatives in the near future
§ Tony WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the UK Government and other donor countries are taking to address the shortfall in funds to the WFP and UNHCR in Afghanistan. [78216]
§ Clare ShortWe understand that UNHCR and WFP programmes for 2002 for Afghanistan have been well-resourced so far (to the order of 90 per cent. and 75 per cent. respectively). So far in the current financial year, the UK has contributed 4 million and 2.2 million respectively to UNHCR and WFP programmes.
Overall needs for emergency support are being revised in light of the increasing number of returned refugees and in anticipation of the coming winter. A consolidated appeal is due to be launched at the Afghan Support Group meeting in December, in Oslo. The basic emergency needs will come under the human capital pillar of the National Development Framework, for which the Afghan Government has determined it will allocate 45 per cent of all external funds received
We have now committed 65 million to Afghanistan for the current financial year (the original allocation was 40 million). We will consider future support in light of the Transitional Assistance Programme for Afghanistan and the priorities set out in the National Development Framework, in consultation with the Afghan authorities.