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U.S. Urges Nations to Speed Up Afghan Aid
Friday, July 26, 2002
By George Edmonson
The Palm Beach Post

Minister of Women's Affairs Habiba Sarabi said more than two decades of war have made widows of many of the country's women, with few able to support themselves. Only 6 percent to 7 percent of the women can read and write, she added. "Education is the basic issue for Afghan women."

WASHINGTON -- PBP
Afghanistan got some good news Thursday.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said the Bush administration is "deeply engaged" in getting nations that have pledged assistance to the devastated nation to "make good on their commitments and as soon as possible."

Powell's encouragement followed a meeting at the State Department with Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah and came amid two days of public appearances by a half dozen Afghan government ministers in Washington. A number of them have expressed concern about the potentially devastating impact of slow payments as the country struggles to rebuild.

The ministers were in Washington for a two-day "Afghanistan-America Summit on Recovery and Reconstruction" hosted by Georgetown University that also featured two U.S. Cabinet members, other Bush administration and Afghan officials and former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole.
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2002 © The Palm Beach Post.

Dan