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International Community Fails to Deliver on Afghan Aid
Sunday, May 5, 2002
(16:06)
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Afghanistan's reconstruction minister says the international community has so far contributed just 90 million of a promised 4.5 billion to rebuild the country.

Amin Fahang says that if foreign governments fail to deliver on their commitments there could be a resurgence of the chaos which fostered the Taliban and its al-Qaeda allies.

The interim administration was pledged 4.5 billion dollars in aid over five years at an international donors' conference in Tokyo in January, 1.8 billion of which was meant to be delivered this year.

But Mr Fahang says only a fraction has so far been made available.

He says the government's ambitious plans to rebuild Afghanistan's infrastructure after 23 years of war can not swing fully into action until the purse strings are released by foreign governments.
(ABC Radio Australia News Source)
2002 © Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Dan