At the NATO summit in Chicago, Australia’s prime minister, Julia
Gillard, committed to increasing aid to Afghanistan from $165 million to $250
million by 2015-2016 – an increase of $85 million over three years (Canberra
Times, May 21, 2012). The increase is in addition to the $300 million to
support Afghanistan’s security forces. The agreement was signed before about 20
delegates, and the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, on Sunday May 20, the first
day of the NATO summit.
The memorandum of understanding indicated that Australia will work with
Afghanistan to reduce the threat of terrorism, narcotics, and people smuggling;
support Afghanistan’s security after 2014; support Afghanistan’s development
through an increased aid program; encourage business and investment links;
cooperate on migration issues; and preserve Afghanistan’s cultural heritage. A
joint commission will be established to review the goals of the partnership on
a regular basis.
After the deployment of foreign troops from Afghanistan in 2014,
Australia will continue its involvement and engagement to ensure stability and
development in the region. US President Barack Obama continued to press
European governments to further support Afghanistan’s security over the next
decade, following France’s newly elected president, Francois Hollande, adhering
to his campaign pledge to withdraw French troops from Afghanistan by the end of
this year, two years earlier than anticipated. Hollande said, of the 3,900
current French troops, a “few remaining troops” would continue training and
equipping Afghan forces. The US also aims to withdraw 23,000 troops by the end
of September, 2012, leaving 68,000 US troops.
The NATO summit in Chicago is primarily to discuss security issues in
Afghanistan, as well as financial security in the Eurozone. Most countries,
including America and Australia, have recently announced cost-cutting on
defense spending, yet the main call for Afghanistan was to prevent a “rush to
exit” before Afghan forces take over full security in 2014. President Obama has estimated a need for
US$4.1 billion a year to finance Afghanistan’s security forces after 2014, and
is therefore keen for US allies to assist with funding. At the NATO summit,
delegates expect to agree on a “smart defense” initiative for sharing
technologies, weapon systems, intelligence, surveillance and cyber security.
Financing the stand-alone Afghan forces was the urgent topic of discussions
at the NATO summit as Western allies start moving toward troop withdrawal over
the next two years, after a decade of warfare – the longest combat operation in
NATO’s history. Afghan soldiers and police officers total about 337,000 (March
2012) and are expected to increase to 352,000 by the end of the year. Coalition
forces are expected to be about 230,000 after 2014.
Afghan’s Tolo TV announced in February 2012, citing the chief
coordinator of United Nations humanitarian assistance, Manoj Basnyat, at the sixth Economic
Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit in Kabul, that the continuation of war had
further exacerbated Afghanistan’s “situation.” Basnyat added that insecurity
restricted humanitarian assistance. The US announced that it is committed to
its humanitarian pledges in Afghanistan. Afghan’s Ministry of Health said that
a rapid increase in population was a critical economic and social challenge for
the country while resources, facilities and services will lag behind. Despite
the billions of dollars in aid relief, Afghanistan remains among the poorest
nations in the world.
Whereas the NATO
summit focuses primarily on security, the 2012 G-20 heads of government summit in
Los Cabos, Mexico, on June 18 and 19, is expected to focus on humanitarian
issues. Pre-preparation meetings announced that the Mexico G-20 members can
better represent developing countries in both vision and policy. Under the
leadership of President Felipe Calderon, G-20 will seek to expand the scope of
its development focus.
Comments
Post a Comment