HL Deb 16 December 2003 vol 655 c121WA
Lord Judd

asked Her Majesty's Government: What are their latest estimates of the funds needed for the reconstruction of Afghanistan; and what is the total sum so far pledged by the international community. [HL296]

Baroness Amos

A needs assessment for the reconstruction of Afghanistan was undertaken by the World Bank, the United Nations and the Asia Development Bank. It estimated that 10 billion US dollars would be required over five years.

The international donor community met in Tokyo in January 2002 and pledged 4.5 billion dollars for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The Afghan Government have now reported that this total has increased to over 5.9 billion dollars. This does not, however, represent the full amount that will be provided over that period, as some donors are only able to pledge for periods shorter than five years.

The Afghanistan Transitional Administration is currently undertaking a revised needs assessment, which is likely to be presented in early 2004.