Korea to assist Afghanistan with half a billion dollars

[ComradePashtun]

Korea to spend $500M on helping Afghanistan

정부, 아프간에 5년간 5억 달러 지원

April 15, 2011

Korea will spend $500 million over the next five years in helping reconstruct Afghanistan, according to Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The announcement was made early today Korean time by Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Jae-shin during a foreign ministers’ meeting in Berlin, the ministry said in a statement.

Apart from sending its Provincial Reconstruction Team to Afghanistan, Korea has provided the war-torn country with $180 million in aid through the Korea International Cooperation Agency.

It decided to increase its aid contribution to reflect its international status as a donor, the ministry said.

The ministry said the U.S. has provided Afghanistan with aid worth $37.1 billion, while Japan has given $3.15 billion to the Central Asian country. Canada gave $1.25 billion, followed by the Netherlands at $1 billion and Australia at $650 million.

“With the additional assistance,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “we expect to contribute to the peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan and further enhance our international status, which has increased through events such as the G-20 Summit.”

The summit was held in Seoul in November.

The ministry said the budget for the additional aid for Afghanistan will be arranged beginning next year.

The foreign chiefs’ meeting in Berlin was attended by the foreign affairs representatives of the 48 countries that are members of the International Security Assistance Force.

The ISAF, a NATO-led mission currently charged with maintaining security in Afghanistan, is slated to begin handing over its role to the Afghan government beginning in July and plans to complete the transfer by the end of 2014.

[ComradePashtun]

Korea Pledges US$500 Mil. to Assist Afghanistan

The Korean government has pledged 500-million US dollars over the next five years towards reinforcing Afghanistan's military and police, as well as setting the foundation for economic and social developments in the war-torn country.

The announcement was made by Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Jae-shin Thursday at the meeting of foreign ministers from the contributing nations of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Berlin, Germany.

Korea's decision to expand its contribution to Afghanistan came as the 48 members recognized the need to ensure that there would be a strong security force and sustainable economic and social advancements in Afghanistan in line with the anticipated transfer of command from the ISAF to local security forces in July.

The money will come from the government's allotment to international bodies and the budget set aside for Official Development Assistance and Seoul hopes its contribution will further enhance Korea's reputation in the world.

Since 2002, Korea has assisted the Afghan people with grants totaling 180-million dollars and various projects offered by some 4-hundred civilians, military personnel and police within the Provincial Reconstruction Team stationed in northern Afghan province of Parwan.

But, despite Korea being the host nation of the G20 summit and a rising contributor in development assistance, the size of Korea's aid package was noticeably smaller than the amounts offered by countries such as Canada, the Netherlands and Australia who have each contributed between 650-million to 1.2 billion dollars.

Those figures are dwarfed, however, by US spending in Afghanistanwhich has seen Washington pump 37.1 billion dollars in the country.

However, the Korean government's large extension of aid to Afghanistan will likely face strong opposition as many here in Korea question the legitimacy of the war and often criticize the government for having to accept Washington's requests despite the heavy financial burden.
Choi You-sun, Arirang News.

[khashayar]

probably spend it on missionary stuff. Like building churches etc.

Has America really spent 37 billion on Afghanistan? Is this reconstruction work? Or does this include all the war/military spending.

[ComradePashtun]

Out of what the Americans have spent, according to experts 2% has probably has made it directly to the people. The rest of them come in throught the door and goes out through the window with the American contractors back to U.S. And the little more goes in to the pockets of corrupt officials which in turn banks then back in the U.S. too. So 2% of the so called 37 billion would be something like less than a billion. With 37% billion I could face-change the entire country.

[ComradePashtun]

But generally speaking, the Asians have been much effective and has a good track with their aid. What the Indians, Chinese and even the the Koreans are doing i.e. buiding hospitals and infrastructre is what really matters for the Afghanistan. So kudos to these countries.