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Date:
26-Jan-2007
U.S. Support for Afghanistan: Fact Sheet on Assistance Efforts
2007: A Pivotal Year for Afghanistan In 2007, the international
community must redouble its efforts to help the Afghan people rebuild
their lives, and enable the government of Afghanistan to extend sound
and accountable governance.
Since 2001, the U.S. has provided over $14.2 billion in aid: nearly
$9 billion in security assistance; $5.2 billion in reconstruction,
humanitarian, and governance assistance. Because this is such a critical
year for Afghanistan, Secretary Rice announced January 26 that the
President would request from Congress an additional $10.6 billion in
assistance over the next two years. The package includes:
• $2 billion for Afghanistan reconstruction, focused on the
following key areas:
- Roads, especially at the district level; o Electricity grids
and generating capacity;
- Rural development, irrigation, and agriculture; o Government
centers, training personnel and meeting local needs through PRTs.
- Strengthening all five pillars of the Afghan counter
narcotics strategy: education, interdiction, eradication, law
enforcement, and rural development.
• $8.6 billion for Afghanistan's National Security Forces -- the
army and police, including:
- Expanding the Afghan Army to 70,000 soldiers and providing
them with better training and equipment;
- Expanding the Afghan Police to 82,000 and providing them
with better training, equipment and support as they deploy
throughout the country.
• On the stability side, the U.S. is considering increasing its
military commitment by extending the tours of some of the troops
currently deployed in Afghanistan and possibly deploying additional
troops. Final decisions will be made based on a revised statement of
requirements expected soon from SACEUR. Force levels will be among
the topics discussed at the February 8-9 informal meeting of Defense
Ministers in Seville, Spain.
The people and government of Afghanistan have made significant
progress since 2001:
- Free and fair election of a president in 2004, and of a
parliament in 2005;
- An educational system that features over 600 new schools,
approximately six million students (including two million girls)
- Economy is growing -- $1 billion in private foreign investment
in 2006, twice the investment in 2005;
- Creation of a multi-ethnic national army that is already
producing results in the field;
- Creation of a police force; and
- Over 3,000 kilometers of roads around the country have been
completed.
NATO is succeeding in Afghanistan:
- The NATO-led International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF),
operating under a UN mandate and with wide popular support, is
providing security throughout all of Afghanistan;
- 37 nations – all 26 Allies plus 11 non-NATO partners – are
working together in a united effort;
- 32,000 soldiers in ISAF, including nearly 13,000 U.S. troops
(additional 10,000 U.S. troops in Operation Enduring Freedom);
- 25 Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) support stability and
reconstruction throughout Afghanistan.
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