Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced up to $200 million in additional funding for reconstruction and development activities in Afghanistan. The announcement was made following a meeting with Christopher Alexander, the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for Afghanistan.

“Taken together, the projects funded by today’s announcement will help build the peaceful, stable, democratic country the long-suffering Afghan people deserve,” said the Prime Minister. 

The funding, to be disbursed this year and next on top of Canada’s annual allocation of $100 million to development activities in Afghanistan, will flow to five priority areas: governance and development ($120 million); counter-narcotics ($30 million); policing ($20 million); de-mining ($20 million); and road construction ($10 million). 

During the course of his remarks, Prime Minister Harper highlighted to Canadians that security is a necessary precondition for reconstruction.  “Our government would not have been able to make these much-needed investments in Afghanistan’s future were it not for the success of NATO and Afghan troops in beating back Taliban insurgents,” said the Prime Minister.  “Through today’s announcement, we’re consolidating and enhancing the gains that have been made on the ground.” 

Canada is among the leading nations involved in Afghanistan.  In addition to helping secure the country from Taliban insurgents, Canada is also playing a key role in reconstruction, development, good governance, and law and order efforts in the recovering nation.  Later today, the government will fulfill a commitment it made to Canadians last spring when it tables a progress report on the mission in Afghanistan.


ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR AFGHANISTAN RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

BACKGROUND

Today’s announcement was made in response to the recent agreement by the Government of Afghanistan and its international partners to proceed with more aggressive and determined rebuilding and development activities.  The agreement was reached at a January 30-31 meeting in Berlin of the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB) attended by twenty-three countries and international institutions.

Areas identified as requiring increased focus include, for instance, improved capacity for delivering government services in Afghanistan’s provinces and employment creation and an acceleration in the training of the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP).

The JCMB is a high-level body that meets four times a year to oversee implementation of the Afghanistan Compact, which commits the international community (some 60 countries), along with the Government of Afghanistan and the UN, to achieve progress in three critical and interrelated areas of activity for the period 2006-11: security; governance, including the rule of law, human rights and tackling corruption; and economic and social development.

While there has been quiet but steady progress toward many vital goals contained in the Afghanistan Compact, efforts must be comprehensive and long-term.  The funding announced today will support the following:

Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) - $120 Million

The Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund is a coordinated fund administered by the World Bank. It supports the Government of Afghanistan’s budget so that it can pay for day-to-day operations, including the salaries of teachers and health-care workers.  Canada’s contribution of $40 million for operational support will help the government administer necessary services to the people of Afghanistan.  The Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund also supports Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development work. Canada has dispersed $18 million for the ARTF since April 2006.

Canada will also provide the Fund an additional $55 million and $25 million respectively for two highly successful programs, the National Solidarity Program (NSP) and the Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA).  The National Solidarity Program, to which Canada has contributed $13 million since April 2006, is the Government of Afghanistan’s primary program for rural development.  It has been very active in Kandahar and encourages communities to select the projects which best respond to their needs.  The MISFA has allowed more than 300,000 Afghan clients, 72 per cent of whom are women, to start small businesses or purchase livestock in order to support their families. Since April 2006, Canada has disbursed $22 million in support of MISFA.

UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) - $27 Million

The mandate of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is to combat illicit drugs and international crime. The UNODC works closely with the Government of Afghanistan to support the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy and has taken specific responsibility for training the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan. Canadian funding will be used to: develop counter-narcotics law enforcement and judicial capabilities, so that traffickers can be apprehended and brought to justice; reduce the smuggling into Afghanistan of chemicals used to produce heroin; and help improve counter-narcotics cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours.

Counter Narcotics Trust Fund (CNTF) - $3 Million

The Counter Narcotics Trust Fund, administered by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), provides funds in support of the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy through improvements to Afghanistan=s law enforcement and criminal justice institutions and by improving regional cooperation.  Canada’s contribution will be used to help build Afghanistan’s counter-narcotics related institutions and ensure they reach the regions in greatest need, such as Kandahar.  Our new counter-narcotics funding complements the funding that we already provide in Kandahar province to support alternative livelihood projects giving incentives to farmers to grow legal crops.

Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA) - $20 Million

The Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan, administered by the UNDP, has been instrumental in putting in place a payroll system that, for the first time, allows police officers to regularly draw their full salaries directly from banks, rather than depending on unreliable and irregular payments. Paying police salaries regularly and on-time helps to improve the professionalism and retention rates of the civilian police, and reduce graft. This contribution is in addition to previous Canadian contributions of $19.8 million to LOTFA as well as purchases of winter uniforms and vehicles for police in Kandahar.  Our civilian and military police officers based at Canada’s Provincial Reconstruction Team are also playing an important role in the development of a more professional police force in Kandahar by training and mentoring Afghan police.

UN Mine Action Program for Afghanistan (UNMAPA) - $20 Million

The UN Mine Action Program for Afghanistan, one of the largest and most efficient mine action programs in the world, has been in operation since 1989. An average of 60 Afghans are killed or injured by mines every month, half of whom are under the age of 18.  Our goal is to reduce and eventually eliminate these losses.  Canada's latest contribution, in addition to the $13.8 million disbursed since April 2006, will be directed towards the UN Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan, which is responsible for coordination and oversight of all mine action activities on behalf of the Government of Afghanistan.  Current activities in Kandahar include minefield survey and clearance, stockpile reduction, mine-risk education, victim assistance and capacity building.

Asian Development Bank - $10 Million

Through contributions like Canada's, the Asian Development Bank is supporting the construction of Spin Boldak Road, a vital transport link between Kandahar City and Spin Boldak, located at the Afghan-Pakistan border. This road is an Afghan National Development Strategy priority and part of the “strategic transport link" connecting the ring road around Afghanistan with key border crossings to support legitimate, commercial traffic and security. Amongst other benefits, the road's construction is also providing much-needed employment and is benefiting the local economy.

For more information about Canada's reconstruction and development activities in Afghanistan, please visit:

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

Minister Verner,

Ambassador Samad,

Colleagues,

Members of the Afghan-Canadian community,

Thank you all for being here.

And a special welcome to Chris Alexander and James Appathurai, who were just introduced. They will both be making a number of appearances in the media and before parliamentary committees in the coming days. I urge Canadians to listen closely.

These gentlemen know Afghanistan, its people, and their challenges, and they understand what ’s at stake for the region and the world.

As Chris Alexander noted a few months ago, “ Afghanista n is a long way from home, but the issues we are addressing here building democracy, reducing poverty, fighting terrorism, celebrating pluralism matter for the entire world.”

Canada ’s New Government fully agrees. Canada ’s involvement and sacrifices in Afghanistan serve our national interests and values on several levels. It ’s not just about foreign aid, though that’s part of it.

It ’s not just about doing our duty with the United Nations and our NATO allies, though that too is part of it. And it ’s n ot just about living up to our beliefs in freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, though that most certainly is part of it too.

But as Chris Alexander has frequently pointed out, global security hinges on success in Afghanistan. If we fail in Afghanistan, if that country relapses into anarchy and once again becomes a haven for extremists and terrorists, the world will be manifestly more dangerous.

Afghanistan is the front line of the international security challenge of the modern, post-Cold War world. We must build a successful alternative there in order to defeat extremism and terrorism everywhere.

Obviously, a secure, democratic, economically viable Afghanistan isn’ t going to materialize tomorrow, but through a concerted, multi-lateral, multi-faceted effort, it is achievable.

We will continue to support the brave men and women of the Canadian forces in their valiant efforts to secure and stabilize the volatile southern region.

Thanks to their efforts, the fragile peace that reigns over most of the country has been extended to large parts of Kandahar province.

Now it ’s time to consolidate those security gains on the ground and use them to advance reconstruction, because the long-suffering Afghan people desperately need hope for a better future for their families and communities.

That’ s what our announcement is about today. Last May, we obtained parliamentary approval for an additional $310 million for aid and development in Afghanistan, bringing the total to $1 billion through 2011.

Today our government is deepening Canada ’s commitment to Afghanistan with a major infusion of new trust funds to accelerate the reconstruction and development process.

The majority of these funds will support proven Afghan national programs which:

· promote rural development and encourage community involvement in project selection and design;

· p ay salaries of teachers, health workers and police to ensure that basic government services are provided; and

· provide micro-credit to help the Afghan people start small businesses to support their families and build their communities.

Today ’s initiative will also nurture economic growth through the construction of a major road to facilitate cross-border trade.

In addition, the new funding will:

· further advance demining efforts; and

· help build Afghanistan ’s counter-narcotics infrastructure.

Through today’ s announcement, our government is consolidating and enhancing the security gains Canada and our allies have made in Afghanistan.

Those gains will be outlined in a progress report authored by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, National Defence, and International Cooperation, which will be tabled in the House this afternoon by Minister MacKay.

The report fulfills a commitment we made last spring – when the House voted to extend the mission - to keep Canadians fully informed. It provides a complete picture of what we ’ve accomplished so far and the challenges that lie ahead.

We believe Canadians will agree that now is the time for our soldiers, aid workers, civilian police and diplomats to redouble their efforts, to help rebuild the physical, economic, social and governmental infrastructure that will put Afghanistan on the road to lasting peace and prosperity.

This part of the mission is no less difficult and no less important than the security aspect, and its success is no less critical to the long-term recovery of Afghanistan and the stability of the world.

As I said in my speech to the UN General Assembly last fall, Canada and the UN are acting as one in Afghanistan. The UN’ s challenge is our challenge.

With Chris Alexander, a fellow Canadian, providing leadership on the ground, with our troops continuing to expand the secure areas in the Kandahar region, and with our deeper commitment of aid for reconstruction and development, I believe we all have very good reason to be optimistic that progress will continue in the coming year.

Thank you.

Excellence, le très honorable Premier Ministre Stephen Harper,

Honorable Ministres ,

Mesdames et messieurs,

Permettez-moi tout d’abord en tant qu’Afghan et représentant d’un pays qui a tellement souffert pendant de nombreuses années, un pays où les espoirs d’un peuple pour un meilleur avenir restent très réels, de remercier le Canada pour sa générosité envers le développement et la reconstruction à long-terme de l’Afghanistan.

Je veux aussi rendre hommage a la vaillance et aux sacrifices des membres des Forces canadiennes qui parmi d’autres nations de l’OTAN, nous aident à stabiliser la région cible du sud, et à tout ceux qui réalisent l’importance stratégique et les dimensions humanitaires, économiques et régionales de la mission internationale en Afghanistan.

Mr. Prime Minister, the Afghan people join President Hamid Karzai and our government in extending their sincere appreciation for today’s significant multi-purpose increase in Canadian aid to Afghanistan. The President has asked me to thank you, and through you, all Canadians for reaching from one corner of the world to another to lend a stronger hand of friendship, compassion and support.

Your government’s decision to increase Canada’s non-military commitment to the Afghan people by three-fold at this crucial juncture will not only help improve the lives of Afghan men, women and children, but it will also assist the Afghans to reach the goals set out in the internationally-binding Afghanistan Compact, mainly in terms of development, governance, law-and-order, counter-narcotics, de-mining and poverty reduction.

However, it is a fact that Afghanistan continues to face numerous challenges, despite concrete achievements in many areas over the past five years. To overcome these hurdles, it is imperative that with continued international engagement, we implement well-managed, pragmatic and effective measures, backed by long-term support, to bring even more tangible changes to the lives of Afghans.

Mr. Prime Minister, just a few days ago I joined you and others in Mississauga, at the opening of a distribution center for medical aid to countries like Afghanistan through a giving Canadian NGO, and you paid tribute, not only to the work of such groups, but also to the generosity of the private sector, civil society and individual citizens as well.

Over the past couple of years, I have witnessed, first-hand, the caring spirit shown by Canadians, not only towards my country, but towards others in need as well. In the case of Afghanistan, we see your citizens empowering women and war-widows, building schools in remote Afghan villages, providing firefighting equipment, donating wheelchairs, supplying medicines, offering scholarships and books, and supporting Afghans through many other people-to-people initiatives.

On this occasion and on behalf of all Afghans, I would like to tell you that from our perspective, Canada stands proud and tall among nations for making good on its pledges to support one of the world’s most war-torn and impoverished countries.