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Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the repatriation ofrefugees to Afghanistan from neighbouring countries; and if he will make a statement on the infrastructural and security situationwithin Afghanistan. [69370]Mr. Mike O'Brien: So far approximately 1.2 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan from neighbouring countries. SinceSeptember 2001, the UK has contributed over £5 million to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for theirprogramme of assistance to Afghan refugees, and over £3.5 million to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) forassistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees to Afghanistan. We are also supporting a number of otherhumanitarian programmes which will help to create an environment for the sustainable return of both refugees and IDPs, including theUnited Nations-led programme of mine clearance and mine awareness in Afghanistan.Years of fighting and instability have taken their toll on Afghan infrastructure, which has had a direct impact on humanitarian,reconstruction and rehabilitation work in Afghanistan. A World bank trust fund has been established to co-ordinate internationaldevelopment assistance for Afghanistan, including for infrastructure.The overall security situation in Kabul has improved greatly since ISAF began its operations there last December. However, thesecurity situation elsewhere in Afghanistan is more uncertain, and there are many challenges still to face. The key to improvingsecurity throughout Afghanistan is to offer the Afghans assistance with Security Sector Reform. We are leading on the counternarcotics effort, with the US leading on army training, the Germans on police training, the Italians on judicial reform, and theJapanese on demobilisation. |