23 February 2009
Allies Agree to Boost Afghanistan Aid
20 countries pledge increased security, reconstruction support
Washington — America’s allies remain firmly committed to the international effort to stabilize Afghanistan, says Defense Secretary Robert Gates, as seen in pledges from 20 countries to increase security assistance and development aid.
“There have been some new commitments made, on both the civilian and the military side, over the last couple of days,” Gates told reporters February 20 following a gathering in Krakow, Poland, of defense ministers from the 26-nation NATO alliance. “I consider that a good start.”
NATO leads the 41-nation, 55,000-strong International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The country has come under increasing pressure from an extremist insurgency operating from safe havens in the Afghan-Pakistan border region.
Gates met with NATO and ISAF partners in Krakow, as well as Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide, U.N. senior envoy for Afghanistan, as part of the Obama administration’s effort to consult with allies to build a new, globally integrated strategy to rebuild Afghanistan.
Gates urged allies to send more troops to Afghanistan in the short term as the country prepares for elections in August, as well as to consider longer-term support for police training and development projects.
The request followed Obama’s February 17 order to deploy 17,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Afghanistan — a 45 percent increase to the 38,000 forces already on the ground working with ISAF and in a separate mission dedicated to training Afghan security forces.
Defense officials report that 20 countries attending the Krakow meeting pledged to increase their contributions for Afghanistan. Germany and Italy were among 10 countries willing to contribute more troops. Three countries will send aircraft. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell reported that other countries plan to contribute funding and medical personnel in support of election security efforts, while 15 countries will send trainers to support a rapidly expanding Afghan army.
Countries also pledged support for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts, Morrell said, including staff for six additional provincial reconstruction teams, police trainers to help reorganize and reform the civilian police force. Civilian experts were pledged for support of Afghan efforts to strengthen governance, confront corruption and deliver essential services to citizens.
The Obama administration has ordered a comprehensive strategic review of U.S. policy in Afghanistan, seeking a new way forward that more effectively combines diplomacy and development with security efforts. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will continue consultations on the Afghan strategy when she meets with NATO allies in Brussels in early March.
Delegations from Afghanistan and Pakistan will travel to Washington to contribute to the strategic discussion, Gates said. Allies can expect further consultations — and requests — as the White House completes its policy review before Obama travels to Europe in April for the NATO 60th Anniversary Summit, hosted by France and Germany.
“I expect that there will be significant new commitments, on either the civilian or the military side, in connection with the NATO summit,” Gates said.
