$ 12 billion donation pledged by 2024 at the Afghanistan Conference in Geneva

At the 2020 International Conference on Afghanistan held in Geneva, donor countries and international organizations pledged $ 12 billion in development aid to Afghanistan for the period 2021-2024.

The “2020 International Conference on Afghanistan”, which started yesterday at the United Nations (UN) Geneva Office, hosted by the UN, Afghanistan and Finland, has ended.

At the press conference held after the conference, Finnish Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Minister Ville Skinnari announced that countries and international organizations have promised Afghanistan 12 billion dollars development support for 4 years from 2021.

Skinnari stated that the Afghan government and its partners have pledged to cooperate on issues such as respect for democracy and the rule of law, human rights and gender equality for the support in question.

Stating that the development aid will be provided with the precondition of “peace and good governance” in the country, Skinnari said that the Afghanistan government will pay special attention to anti-corruption measures.

The condition of reducing violence and ensuring a ceasefire
The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, emphasized that the promised amount “does not come freely”, “it comes on condition that violence is reduced and a ceasefire is achieved.” he spoke.

Lyons said that the pledge also covers women’s rights, minority rights, ethnic rights, freedom of the press, and the safeguarding of religious rights and the fight against corruption.

“We reached our goal”
Afghanistan Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar, one of the co-chairs of the conference, said, “We are extremely pleased that the conference was successful. We achieved our goal. It was a unique conference.” said.

Atmar once again called on the Taliban for a ceasefire, “The Taliban must listen to the demands of the whole world. The Taliban knows that there is no military solution to this problem. Nobody will win this war, and if there is a peaceful political solution, everyone will win.” he spoke.

Pointing out that if the Taliban does not accept peace and continues to conflict, his country will be deprived of development aid in the next 4 years, Atmar emphasized that in such a case, the Taliban will have to explain to the Afghan people why they refuse this aid.

Atmar called on the Taliban to make good use of this opportunity.

“Afghanistan delegation in Doha returned to the Tribe”
Answering a question about the ongoing peace negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghanistan delegation in Doha, the capital of Qatar, Atmar said they differed with the Taliban in the rules of procedure, the legal basis of the negotiations.

Atmar said that talks in Doha have progressed, but “their delegations are returning to the capital Kabul for consultation”.

Stating that he talked to the head of the negotiating team on the phone, Atmar added that they hope the peace talks will resume as soon as possible.

$ 15.2 billion in donations were promised in 2016
Approximately 70 countries and international non-governmental organizations participated in the international conference held every 4 years to support the development of Afghanistan.

The European Union (EU) has pledged a total of 1.2 billion euros in aid to Afghanistan, while Canada has pledged a donation of 270 million dollars.

At the conference held in Brussels in 2016, a donation of $ 15.2 billion was pledged for Afghanistan by 2020