EU Confirms its Support for Afghanistan at the 2020 Geneva Conference

The European Union confirmed today, at the 2020 Afghanistan Conference titled “Peace, Prosperity and Self-Reliance”, its long-standing solidarity and partnership with the people of Afghanistan, pledging support of 1.2 billion euros for the period 2021-2025, both as long-term assistance and emergency aid.
This significant financial commitment demonstrates the EU’s unwavering determination to promote a peaceful, democratic, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan – an Afghanistan that the people deserve and dream of – and makes it clear that development aid from the EU is based on clear conditions and principles.
These terms are set out in a document jointly drafted by the EU and other key international partners of Afghanistan, who together provide 80% of international aid to the country. As reiterated by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell and Commissioner for International Partnerships Urpilainen at the Conference, EU support for Afghanistan presupposes an inclusive peace process, under Afghanistan’s responsibility, which will be based on the political and social achievements of the last 19 years. Maintaining democratic pluralism, constitutional order, institutional transparency and accountability and the rule of law, further promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially for women, children and minorities, including freedom of the media and the pursuit of sustainable peace, development and prosperity, are essential for Afghanistan’s future.
Many of the principles of EU and international support are reflected in the joint political communiqué and the partnership framework for Afghanistan, which were approved at the Conference.
Development aid from the EU is subject to the approval of the next EU multiannual financial framework in line with the guidelines proposed by the European Commission on June 2. This aid will support the implementation of Afghanistan’s second national peace and development framework for the period 2021-2025. EU support will also help address the growing poverty in Afghanistan as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Along with development support, the EU will also continue to provide impartial humanitarian aid to save lives, strengthening efforts to address the coronavirus, as well as helping victims of conflicts and forced displacements, including by providing emergency food aid, protection services to address gender-based violence, education for children, as well as advocating respect for international humanitarian law by all parties involved in the conflict.
In 2016, the EU made a similar commitment to allocate 1.2 billion euros to Afghanistan over a four-year period. Actual payments during the 2016-2020 period exceeded 1.75 billion euros. During the period 2002-2020, the European Union committed a total of over 5.1 billion euros to Afghanistan. Afghanistan is globally the largest recipient of development aid from the EU. EU support aims to maintain the political and developmental achievements of the last 19 years and is governed by strong principles of democracy and human rights.
The EU is among the most generous donors of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. The total humanitarian aid from the EU to Afghanistan since 1994 amounts to almost 1 billion euros.