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| May 22, 2002 | Wednesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 8,1423 |
Reconstruction in Afghanistan to boost regionalism: Shaukat
ISLAMABAD, May 21: Reconstruction and rehabilitation of Afghanistan is essential for achieving peace and stability in the region and the world and there is no doubt that reconstruction in Afghanistan will have a positive impact on the economy of the region.
Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz made these observations, while speaking at an international seminar on “Pakistan Gateway to Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Afghanistan”.
The seminar, organized by the National Logistics Cell (NLC) here on Tuesday, was attended by diplomats and representatives of various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and United Nations agencies.
The minister said Pakistan and Afghanistan were bilaterally and regionally linked in a multi-facet way. “It is our desire to see a strong and stable Afghanistan, which is critical for having positive impact on the whole region. Once peace and stability returns to Afghanistan, economic activity will grow in the region.”
On the political side in Afghanistan, there were very positive developments, which were essential for the reconstruction and economic well being of the Afghan people, the minister observed, asking the donor countries in Afghanistan to look towards the NLC for the movement of their freight as well as the Karachi port for shipment of goods for the reconstruction in Afghanistan.
He said they could buy cheap and quality goods from Pakistan which could be delivered in Afghanistan in the shortest possible time. Afghanistan, he added, was a land-bridge between Pakistan and the Central Asian Republics.
“We have to see reconstruction and economic cooperation with Afghanistan not only in bilateral but also in regional context”, he said, hoping that the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) would play a role to expand the efforts and coordinate the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The Tehran meeting of the finance ministers of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan was a step in that direction and other ECO member countries would also be invited to participate in the meeting, he said.
As for Pakistan, he said, “we have opened up telephone and coastal facilities and air links with Kabul.” The two countries were exploring ways to build financial links, he added.
The two countries have very special and close relations and their economic cooperation is also picking up. The trade at present is of the order of one billion rupees a month, but the minister emphasised that the private sector could play the main role in that regard.
Both the countries have set up a Joint Ministerial Economic Commission, which would coordinate their bilateral activities.
Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Sadaki Numata gave a detailed presentation on how Japan saw some of the key issues relating to the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
He said Japan since last October had provided $102 million for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. A substantial part of the aid had been procured and transported from Pakistan.
At the Tokyo conference, Japan pledged $500 million for the next two-and-a-half years. Of this, $250 million was for the current year. In addition, Japan will provide $2.7 million for the monitoring of regional election process and Loya Jirga as well as technical assistance and equipment for the Afghan police.
The Japanese ambassador said his country would also provide assistance for integration of the 700,000 former combatants in the society and for projects to eradicate poppy cultivation. “Japan is leading the recovery and employment programme of Afghanistan. It provides timely employment on public works to restore Kabul by creating 20,000 jobs. A similar project will be launched for Kandahar.” He, however, said there was still uncertainty about security in different provinces outside Kabul.
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