Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government is supporting humanitarian aid programmes in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6824/06]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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A new Afghanistan Compact was launched by the Government of Afghanistan and the international community at a conference in London on 31 January 2006. The compact provides a framework for international engagement in Afghanistan for the next five years. Ireland pledged €5 million at the launch of the compact. This new pledge, which will be expended over the next two years, reflects Ireland's continuing commitment to supporting the reconstruction and reform process in Afghanistan. Funding will be expended through the World Bank administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, in support of the Afghan national development strategy and the achievement of Afghanistan's millennium development goals. We will also continue to support the efforts of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations towards pro-poor sustainable development in Afghanistan.

Previous pledges by Ireland of €12 million, made at the Tokyo donor conference in January 2002, and €5 million, made at the Berlin donor conference in March 2004, have been delivered in full and ahead of schedule. Funding was expended via the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund, ARTF, which supports programmes under the Afghan national development plan, assists in ensuring a stable environment for development, contributes to poverty reduction through the delivering of essential services, institutional capacity building and the strengthening of governance. Ireland also supported the electoral process through the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, election support programme, which steered the successful presidential election in 2004 and National Assembly and Provincial Council elections in 2005. Funding was also delivered through a range of Irish and international non-governmental organisations, including Trócaire, Concern, GOAL, Christian Aid, Halo Trust and Handicap International.