Countries pledge support for Afghanistan at donor conference

Paris: International donors pledged over $15.54 billion in aid for Afghanistan at a conference underway in Paris on Thursday.

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai asked the 67 countries and 15 international organisations attending the conference to fund a $50 billion five-year development plan.

French President Nicholas Sarkozy opened the conference by pledging his support for the country, saying: “It is the duty of all democrats to help you."

He added that France would "maintain its effort in Afghanistan as long as necessary."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also attended the conference.

Ahead of the conference, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States will pledge about $10 billion over around two years, while the World Bank's envoy promised close to $1.1 billion over five years

Japan has offered an extra $550 million, while Britain pledged 600 million pounds ($1.17 billion) in reconstruction aid to Afghanistan through 2012/2013.

France will more than double its aid. Sarkozy's office said the French government would offer 107 million euros from 2008 to 2010.

The donors stressed that Kabul must do more to fight corruption and internal problems.

They also added international assistance should be better coordinated. Aid agencies have said only $15 billion of the $25 billion pledged from 2001 until now had been spent.