Annex 1
BERLIN DECLARATION
1 April 2004
We, the participants in the 2004 Berlin Conference
on Afghanistan,
Committed to the vision of a secure, stable,
free, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan as laid out in the
Afghan Constitution and as reaffirmed in the speech of President
Hamid Karzai held at this Conference, in particular welcoming
the announcement to hold direct presidential and parliamentary
elections in September 2004.
Noting with satisfaction the substantial progress
achieved under the Bonn Agreement of December 2001 in fostering
peace, stability, national unity, democratisation, and economic
development in Afghanistan, culminating in the adoption of a new
Afghan Constitution in January 2004, which lays the groundwork
for an elected Government and Parliament, and an independent Judiciary,
which guarantees the constitutional rights of all its citizens-men
and women-and adheres to the principle of human rights and the
establishment of a self-sustaining, market-orientated economy.
Welcoming the achievements in the state and
institution budding process, in particular the peaceful holding
of two Loya Jirgas which elected a President and adopted a Constitution,
the progress in creating and strengthening the national security
institutions, the adoption of key legislation, the re-establishment
of a Central Bank and the successful launch of a new currency,
the adoption of a National Development Framework and a National
Budget, as well as the establishment of Commissions on Human Rights,
Elections, Judiciary and Civil Service Reform.
Noting with satisfaction the progress made by
Afghans and the international community in the fight against remnants
of international terrorism, and the common resolve to defeat terrorists
who undermine security and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
Welcoming the contributions and pledges towards
Afghanistan's reconstruction and reform programmes made by countries
at the Tokyo Conference of January 2002,that have helped avert
a humanitarian crisis and resettle more than three million refugees
and internally displaced people so far, and laid the foundation
for economic development and growth in the future.
Determined to complete the Bonn Process by creating
the conditions under which the people of Afghanistan can freely
determine their own political future by establishing a fully representative
government through free and fair elections in a secure and peaceful
environment.
Determined to continue, in the spirit of the
Bonn Agreement, as a common endeavor of the Afghan people and
the international community, the tasks of rebuilding and reforming
the political, social and economic structures of Afghanistan,
with the aim of creating lasting peace, stability and economic
development, and with a view to offering all Afghans in an equitable
manner tangible prospects for a brighter, future.
AGREE
1. That while the responsibility for providing
security and enforcing law and order throughout the country resides
with the Afghans themselves, the engagement of the International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF), mandated by the UN-Security
Council and now under the command of NATO, and Operation Enduring
Freedom (QEF)—at the request and welcomed by the Afghan
Government—will be continued until such time as the new
Afghan security and armed forces are sufficiently constituted
and operational.
2. That the international community is determined
to assist further in the stabilization of the security situation
throughout the country, in particular with the deployment of Provincial
Reconstruction Teams (PRT), which also contribute to reconstruction
and development efforts.
3. That it is necessary to implement vigorously
the first phase of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
program to be completed by the end of June 2004 as decided by
the President of Afghanistan, thereafter to intensify the programme
ahead of the 2004 elections, and to continue the formation of
the Afghan National Army and the National Police.
4. That further efforts will be necessary
for the full establishment of the rule of law and a functioning
judicial system as enshrined in the Constitution.
5. That opium poppy cultivation, drug production
and trafficking pose a serious threat to the rule of law and development
in Afghanistan as well as to international security, and that
therefore Afghanistan and the international community shall do
everything-including the development of economic alternatives-to
reduce and eventually eliminate this threat.
6. That the investment programme presented
in the report "Securing Afghanistan's Future" outlines
the substantial further assistance required to address Afghanistan's
long term reconstruction needs, and that the implementation of
this programme depends as much on the continued commitment of
donors as on the Afghan Government's success in achieving the
ambitious targets it has set for itself.
7. That better predictability makes it desirable
for the assistance to Afghanistan to be, if possible, in multi-year
commitments and, with increasing absorption capacity for a growing
share of this assistance to be channelled through the Afghan budget
as direct budget support or as contributions to the Afghanistan
Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) and to the Law and Order Trust
Fund (LOTFA), and that the Government of Afghanistan will continue
to make every effort to enhance domestic revenue mobilization.
8. Strongly to endorse the Workplan put
forward by the Government of Afghanistan and annexed herewith,
to stress the importance of the reform steps and actions outlined
therein, and to note Afghanistan's determination to pursue this
agenda.
9. That the international community's assistance
to Afghanistan will have a particular focus on supporting the
implementation of this Workplan.
10. That all efforts to build a new Afghanistan
shall also reflect the aspirations of the Civil Society that is
taking root in the country and promote the participation of women
according to their rights under the Constitution.
WELCOME
1. The multiyear commitments made at the
Conference for the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan
totalling US$ 8.2 billion for the fiscal years 1383-85 (March
2004-March 2007), which includes a pledge of US$ 4.4 billion for
1383 (March 2004-March 2005).
2. The commitment by NATO to expand ISAF's
mission by establishing five additional Provincial Reconstruction
Teams by summer 2004 and further PRTs thereafter, as well as the
readiness of ISALF and GEF to assist in securing the conduct of
elections.
3. The further steps made by Afghanistan
and its neighbours to foster regional cooperation under the auspices
of the Kabul Declaration on Good Neighbourly Relations from 22
December 2002, in particular, the Declaration on Counter-Narcotics
annexed herewith as well as the planned Conference on Regional
Police Co-operation to be held in Doha on 18 and 19 May.
REAFFIRM ON
THIS BASIS
THAT
Afghanistan and the international community
shall continue to sustain a lasting partnership for the future,
which will allow Afghanistan to complete the transition process
begun with the Bonn Agreement, to reflect the will of its people,
rebuild Afghanistan and create a secure, peaceful and stable country
fully restored to its rightful place in the international community
of free nations.
ANNEX I TO THE
BERLIN DECLARATION
The Way Ahead
The Workplan of the Afghan Government
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate and
Merciful
The Government of the Transitional Islamic State
of Afghanistan commits itself to the following Agenda of Measures
and Actions.
CHAPTER I
Holding Free and Fair Elections in Afghanistan
The holding of a free and fair election in Afghanistan,
as provided under Bonn, will make a major contribution to the
country's stability, the consolidation of peace and the accountability
and democratic nature of the institutions established by the new
Afghan Constitution. A fully representative government will be
able to bring its authority and legitimacy to bear on the accomplishment
of key tasks in the building of a functional state, the expansion
of reconstruction and the strengthening of national unity.
Preparing this election is a major undertaking,
in terms of the electoral process itself and, as importantly,
in terms of creating political and security conditions conducive
to free and fair elections. The Government of Afghanistan is keenly
aware of the aspiration of the overwhelming majority of its people
to carry out a genuine and meaningful electoral process, and is
committed to work with all stakeholders to fulfil this aspiration.
The Government of Afghanistan welcomes the support of the Governments
of Pakistan and Iran to allow participation of Afghan refugees
in their countries in the elections. In this context, the Government
of Afghanistan is committed to the following:
Electoral Process and Political Rights
— Before the holding of the elections,
ensuring the full exercise by citizens, candidates and political
parties, of their political rights under the new Afghan Constitution,
including freedom of organisation, freedom of expression and the
principle of non-discrimination, as well as paying particular
attention to the participation of women as voters and candidates.
— Issuing instructions to civil servants
and military personnel concerning their duty of political impartiality
and the protection of political freedoms and taking appropriate
sanctions against those who fail to fulfil their obligations.
— Ensuring freedom of the press and
equitable access by candidates and political parties to government
media.
— Requesting the Afghan Independent
Human Rights Commission and UNAMA to verify the full exercise
of political rights throughout Afghanistan and prepare public
reports on a regular basis with a view to determining that, ahead
of the elections and, in particular, during the electoral campaign,
conditions exist that are conducive to the holding of free and
fair elections.
Security
— By June 2004, achieving the demobilization
of no less than 40% of the stated troop strength of the AMF, in
a balanced way and on the basis of the decommissioning of military
units, as well as the concentration of all heavy weapons under
credible supervision, and thereafter, intensifying DDR ahead of
the 2004 elections.
— Requesting NATO and the coalition
to deploy international military forces in support of the national
police and the AINA, in numbers large enough to protect the integrity
of the electoral process against terrorism, factionalism and lawlessness.
CHAPTER II
Institution Building and Development
The Government undertakes to implement its programs
and policies as set out in the three pillars of the National Development
Framework and National Budget in a transparent and effective manner.
In order to achieve measurable progress against
goals in each of the sectors in the National Development Budget,
annual targets will be set in each of the Consultative Groups
at the start of each budget year. Over this fiscal year the Government
will seek to accelerate reform in key areas as set out below.
Good Governance and Public Administration
The Government is committed to the establishment
of an impartial, accountable and effective Civil Service that
has the capacity to implement the policies and programmes of the
Government. The Government commits itself to the fight against
corruption and to take sanction against high-level corruption.
Concrete steps to be taken:
— Accelerate the reform of the ministries
through the PRR (Priority Reform and Restructuring) process in
order to clarify and streamline the role and functions of ministries,
at all levels of government;
— Adopt and implement a policy for
retraining or other provision for those individuals no longer
needed in their current positions;
— Pass the Civil Service Law before
the elections in order to guarantee the independence of the Civil
Service and the transparency of its work and senior level appointments;
— Establish an impartial, transparent
and inclusive recruitment process for all positions, on the basis
of skills and experience. Where individuals have not had the opportunity
to acquire formal qualifications, alternative approaches to the
measurement of potential—such as leadership and management
skills—will be developed;
— Implement management training programmes
to ensure that those men and women who have been excluded from
educational opportunities because of war have access to administrative
positions;
— Develop and implement policies in
partnership with donors with a view to ensuring harmonisation
of recruitment and pay policies between the two bureaucracies—the
Afghan Civil Service and the NGO and UN agency system—through
lateral entry and other programmes;
— Adopt and implement a Code of Conduct
which provides for sanctions to be taken against demonstrated
corruption, encourages the Press to conduct investigative reporting
and provides for mechanisms for review of contractual agreements;
— Implement the Presidential decree
on separation of civilian and military functions; and
— Undertake a functional review of
state institutions.
Fiscal Management
The Government undertakes to continue reforms
of the fiscal management system in order to increase state revenues
to meet all recurrent domestic needs as soon as possible, and
to ensure even-handed, effective and transparent expenditure.
The Government is committed to enhance its domestic revenue mobilisation
and will have yearly stretch targets prepared in consultation
with the IMF. and other International Financial Institutions.
Concrete steps to be taken:
— Improve Afghanistan's domestic revenue
collection significantly through the implementation of tax and
customs laws and a regular flow of customs and tax revenues to
the central government;
— Make every effort to improve the
allotments and disbursements of budget expenditures to all levels
of government, including the payment of civil servants directly,
in full and on time, according to a transparent system; and
— Establish a single Treasury account
as soon as possible.
Private Sector
Private sector-led development is the key to
Afghanistan's long-term economic development and poverty reduction.
The Government will work to create an enabling environment conducive
to investment for the legitimate domestic and international private
sector by removing constraints to their activities.
Concrete steps to be taken:
— Strengthen the legal and regulatory
framework for regulation of the private sector through the simplification
of existing regulations and implementation of appropriate laws;
— Develop and implement a plan for
the reorganisation of state enterprises, including a privatisation
strategy where applicable;
— Establish mechanisms to ensure the
sound management and reform of property and land tenure laws and
to provide adequate binding arbitration mechanisms for the private
sector; and
— Develop and implement a plan for
the creation of livable cities as engines for the development
of the service sector.
Economic and Social Development
The Government commits itself to preparing a
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, a Government-led process in
partnership with international organisations and donors, which
will build on the National Development Framework and "Securing
Afghanistan's Future", to prepare a medium-term strategy
for poverty reduction. This strategy will include the following
dimensions:
— An approach to asset-creation for
the poor, paying particular attention to the rural population
who are the majority of the Afghan population and are dependent
on agricultural processes for their livelihoods;
— The development and implementation
of an affordable social policy that attends to the needs of vulnerable
groups affected by war including refugees, IDPs, the disabled,
orphans and single-headed households;
— Ensuring that all girls and boys
complete compulsory education (nine years) and have opportunities
to continue at higher levels, with special attention paid to the
inclusion of girls who have been prevented from access to education;
— The need to put in place sound environmental
management practices as key for sustainable development; and
— A comprehensive monitoring and reporting
framework developed in partnership between the government and
the international community.
Rule of Law and Human Rights
The Government is committed to the continued
development of a system of governance based on the rule of law
and the promotion and protection of the human rights of the Afghan
people in order to reinforce national unity, as laid down in the
Afghan Constitution. The Government is committed to strengthen
the institutional and organisational mechanisms that will translate
these rights into practice.
Concrete steps to be taken:
— Extend full co-operation to the Independent
Afghan Human Rights Commission (IAHRC);
— Strengthen Afghanistan's institutional
capacity to meet in an adequate and timely manner its reporting
obligations under those international instruments to which Afghanistan
is a party, the Afghan government will develop human rights monitoring,
documenting and reporting mechanisms in partnership with the international
community;
— Establish a Supreme Court according
to the Constitution with the necessary capacity to fulfil its
mandate;
— Strengthen the administrative and
financial management capacity of Justice Institutions;
— Accelerate the legislative reform
process through adoption of key laws that would be compatible
with the Constitution, including laws and procedures on the organisation
of judicial offices, criminal and civil codes and a penitentiary
law;
— Establish a national legal training
centre.
Gender
The Government is committed to ensure that its
policies and programs promote the participation of women in all
sectors of the economy and society in accordance with their rights
in the Constitution.
Concrete steps to be taken:
— Promote increased recruitment and
guarantee equal opportunities to women, in the Civil Service;
— Ensure that gender is mainstreamed
within all sectors, programmes and policies.
Disarmament and Security
The Government recognises that creating security
on a nationwide scale remains fundamental to progress on economic
growth, political normalisation, reconstruction and development,
and that the accelerated establishment of a professional and ethnically
balanced ANA and Police Force, committed to the rule of law, is
central for progress in this area.
Concrete steps to be taken:
— Complete the implementation of the
Disarmament and Demobilisation process of the AMF by June 2005
and of the Reintegration activities by October 2006, as agreed
between the Government and the international community;
— Present a comprehensive national
security strategy based on the governments' Berlin Conference
Security paper;
— Complete the formation of a National
Police and National Army as the only armed forces in the country
in accordance with the plans agreed with UNAMA and the international
community;
— Continue the reforms of the Ministry
of Interior, the Ministry of Defence and the National Directorate
for Security (NDS) to ensure democratic accountability and national
representation;
— To continue to promote regional co-operation
in all areas of mutual interest and as stated in the Kabul Declaration
on Good Neighbourly Relations of December 2002, with the aim to
enhancing security, stability and economic relations, including
in the fight against terrorism and narcotics;
— Acceleration of progress towards
the goal of a mine-free Afghanistan by 2012.
Drugs
The Government recognises the growing threat
posed by the opium poppy cultivation, drug production and drug
trafficking in the country. It will seek to implement aggressively
its National Drug Control strategy to ensure its goals are met.
Concrete steps to be taken:
— Implement the Government's National
Drug Control Strategy based on the provision of alternative livelihoods,
strengthening of drug control institutions, eradication and interdiction,
actions against drug trafficking and reduction of demand;
— Develop annual implementation strategies
based on the Action Plans agreed at the International Counter
Narcotics Conference on Afghanistan in February 2004, paying particular
attention to the need to sequence actions;
— Strengthen the capacity of the Afghan
government to tackle drugs, including the Counter-Narcotics Directorate
(CND) and the Counter-Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) and
ensure ministerial level policy co-ordination and implementation
across all relevant ministries;
— Ensure counter narcotics are mainstreamed
within national development programs as part of the effort to
promote alternative livelihoods, and synchronise these programs
with law enforcement, interdiction, demand reduction and other
drug control activities where appropriate.
ANNEX II TO
THE BERLIN
DECLARATION
Progress Report
The Implementation of the Bonn Agreement
1. The Bonn Agreement of 5 December 2001
in a short two-to-three year timeline was to steer Afghanistan
towards "national reconciliation, lasting peace, stability
and respect for human rights in the country" until the goal
of a "fully representative government" was achieved.
This ambitious agenda has been guiding the efforts of Afghans
and those of the international community over the past 26 months.
The Political Agenda
2. The Afghan Interim Authority, established
under the chairmanship of Hamid Karzai, was officially inaugurated
on 22 December, 2001 and led Afghanistan for the first six months
following Bonn.
3. The Emergency Loya Jirga was held from
11-19 June 2002. The delegates—including over 220 women—elected
by secret ballot the Head of the Transitional Administration,
and confirmed ministers and other key figures. After decades of
war, this marked the nation's first tentative steps towards a
system where political decisions are made by a representative
assembly of the people of Afghanistan at large and not based on
military force. The process for the selection of delegates involved
mass popular participation in a political exercise unrivalled
in Afghanistan's history.
4. On 19 June the power of the Interim Authority
was transferred to the Transitional Administration that will govern
Afghanistan until free and fair elections are held later this
year.
5. More then 1.5 million people—28%
of them women—have been registered for the forthcoming elections
so far. The President of Afghanistan had requested UN assistance
to carry out registration and election and as a result on 26 July
2003 a Joint Electoral Management Board (JEMB) was established
with the participation of the members of the Afghan Interim Electoral
Commission and UN-appointed electoral experts. Its mandate, which
initially covered voter registration only, was broadened on 18
February 2004 to grant it overall authority for the electoral
process.
The Institution-building Agenda
6. The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission
(AIIIRC) was established by decree on 6 June 2002 as the product
of a national consultative process between Afghan human rights
activists, the Interim Administration and the United Nations.
The AIIIRC is becoming an important mechanism for the protection
and promotion of human rights across Afghanistan, with broad reach
through its eight regional offices. Under the new constitution
this AIHRC serves as a permanent institution to investigate and
monitor the human rights situation in Afghanistan.
7. The civil service commission was formally
established by Presidential decree on 21 May 2002. Its most important
achievement to date has been the passing of the "Priority
Reform and Restructuring Decree" in July, 2003 which provided
the legal basis for the restructuring of ministries and departments
within ministries.
8. The Judicial Commission mandated by Bonn
was decreed in November 2002. It was empowered to facilitate a
comprehensive law reform programme and to redraft legal codes
which, on a range of subjects, has been completed or is under
way.
9. A central bank has been established and
enhanced its capacity connecting its 35 provincial branches to
its headquarters in Kabul. A legal framework has been introduced
through the passage of the central bank and commercial bank laws
and a banking supervision department has been created.
10. The introduction of the new currency,
which started on 7 October 2002. was a prerequisite for an effective
monetary policy and a crucial step towards establishing financial
stability and creating an environment that is conducive to restoring
sustainable economic growth.
11. The constitution-making process started
with the formation of a drafting committee in the autumn of 2002
and of a 35-member constitutional commission that was inaugurated
on 26 April 2003. It embarked upon a large consultation exercise
across Afghanistan and amongst Afghan refugees in neighbouring
Iran and Pakistan with a view to ascertaining the views and recommendations
of as many Afghans as possible. In the end over 150,000 people
participated in these meetings. The commission's final draft was
made public on 3 November 2003.
12. Following nationwide election of delegates,
the Constitutional Loya Jirga was convened on 14 December and
successfully concluded after 22 days with the unanimous adoption
of the new constitution. 502 delegates from all over Afghanistan
participated, 344 of whom had been elected by the Emergency Loya
Jirga district representatives. 103 were women, over 20% of the
total at the Constitutional Loya Jirga. With the completion of
this exercise, Afghanistan can be said to be equipped with a progressive
constitutional framework, which fosters the establishment of the
rule of law as well as national unity. The new constitution articulates
a number of values that are not only shared among the vast majority
of Afghans, but also with the international community at large.
13. On Security Sector Reform, the Interim
Authority produced comprehensive papers outlining its vision of
affordably sized armed forces under civilian control for two meetings
of international donors held in Geneva in April and May 2002.
At the latter meeting, five donor nations agreed to take responsibility
for co-ordinating support to the security sectors: the United
States of America became the lead nation for support to the Afghan
National Army, Japan for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration,
Germany for the police, the United Kingdom for counter-narcotics
and Italy for the justice sector.
14. Following the initial reform of the
Ministry of Defence on 20 September 2003, the Afghanistan's New
Beginning Programme (ANBP) commenced the pilot phase for disarmament,
demobilisation, and reintegration of military forces in selected
areas that so far has been completed in Kunduz, Mazar-i-Sharif,
Kabul and Gardez and will start in Kandahar and Bamyan soon. Over
5,200 soldiers have been disarmed and 3,300 reintegrated so far.
Heavy weapons cantonment has begun in Kabul and some other areas.
15. On 1 December 2002 President Karzai
signed a decree establishing the Afghan National Army that brought
all Afghan military forces, mujahideen and other armed groups
under the control of the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The reform
of the MoD and general staff began in spring 2003 with the aim
of creating a broad based organisation staffed by professionals
from a balance of ethnic groups.
16. Under US lead, the Afghan National Army
has trained a Central Corps of 5,271 troops, with an additional
3,056 recruits in training at the Kabul Military Training Centre
before being deployed at military establishments in Kabul and,
for temporary periods, in other parts of the country.
17. Rebuilding of the Afghan National Police,
including border police, as well as anti-narcotics police force,
is well under way. All major police facilities in Kabul have been
rebuilt and equipped, work has begun in four provinces and is
under way in seven more provinces. More than 5,000 commissioned
and non-commissioned police officers, amongst whom an albeit still
small number of women, have so far been trained at the National
Police Academy, about 4,000 officers and patrolmen have been given
training courses in four regional training centres. Three more
centers will follow with a view to training up to 20,000 patrolmen
by the forthcoming elections. The Law and Order Trust Fund provides
for the regular payment of salaries and non-lethal equipment to
the police.
18. The Counter Narcotics Directorate was
created to co-ordinate, monitor and evaluate the implementation
of the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy that set the objective
of eliminating the production, trafficking and consumption of
illegal drugs in Afghanistan. A new drugs law, compliant with
UN drug conventions, has been passed; a counter-narcotics police
created and a special narcotics force established to conduct interdiction
operations. The government has established a central planning
cell to co-ordinate poppy eradication and a series of programmes
have been put together to support rural infrastructure, alternative
livelihoods and employment opportunities.
19. The National Directorate of Security
is undergoing a programme of substantial reform and restructuring
both in Kabul and the provinces on the basis of a new charter
that restricts its previously held wide powers.
International Military Assistance
20. On 20 December 2001, the Security Council
adopted resolution 1386 authorising the creation of the International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and subsequent resolutions have
continually renewed its mandate. NATO took over command and responsibility
for ISAF on 11 August 2003. As anticipated in the Bonn agreement,
ISAF has provided much needed stability to the country's capital,
relief from interfactional violence and created political space
unrivalled in other parts of Afghanistan, allowing a multitude
of political and civil society organisations as well as media
to operate in relative freedom. In particular, it made it possible
for the Emergency and Constitutional Loya Jirgas in June 2003
and December 2004 respective y to be held in a peaceful environment.
In addition to this peace-keeping and confidence-building role,
ISAF has contributed to the training of the new Afghan security
institutions.
21. Since November 2002 the deployment of
Provincial Reconstruction Teams has extended some of the anticipated
"ISAF effect" to a growing number of provinces. There
are now 11 PRTs nationwide, 10 under Coalition command and one
ISAF PRT in Kunduz.
The Reconstruction Agenda
22. To assist the new Afghan government
in the rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction of Afghanistan,
on 21 and 22 January 2002 the international conference on reconstruction
assistance to Afghanistan was held in Tokyo under the co-chairmanship
of Japan, the United States, the European Union and Saudi Arabia
with the participation of more than 61 countries and 21 international
organisations. Participants pledged more than $5 billion of assistance
over a six-year period.
23. Over the past two years the economic
and humanitarian situation has improved: economic growth has taken
place in the urban centers; food security has improved with record
crop yields; a national budget was produced and presented; a new
currency adopted, schools reopened across the country, education
provided for 4.3 million girls and boys and a major road reconstruction
programme embarked upon beginning with the Kabul to Kandahar road.
The government's primary health care package service has now reached
40% of the population; the National Solidarity and Employment
programmes have been launched and 2.3 million refugees returned
from Iran and Pakistan.
24. Progressively since the Tokyo conference,
the leadership and ownership of the co-ordination of the reconstruction
process has been steadily taken over by the Afghan authorities.
A National Development Framework laid out the government's broad
development objectives. The Consultative Group mechanism evolving
from this placed the government in direct dialogue with the donor
community. The National Development Budget translated the broad
priorities and programmes, of the National Development Framework
into detailed and prioritised development projects that were funded
through the budget.
25. The government's increasing leadership
capacity in defining national priorities led to a huge re-costing
exercise that built on Tokyo by defining the targets together
with the strategy and funds needed to achieve them for the next
seven years. This document entitled "Securing Afghanistan's
Future" covers all sectors of intervention including the
security sector that was not included in Tokyo. The document sets
economic growth targets for Afghanistan that are aligned with
the Millennium development goals. It also sets priorities and
emphasises the need to re-establish the rule of law and an environment
for private sector driven economic development.
United Nations Assistance
26. The Bonn agreement mandated the United
Nations and, in the particular, the Special Representative of
the Secretary-General, to "monitor and assist in the implementation
of all aspects" of the agreement. In order to assist the
SRSG to comply with this mandate, on 28 March the UN Security
Council established by its resolution 1401 the United Nations
Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and formalised the assistance
and support roles of the United Nations to the Interim and Transitional
Administrations of Afghanistan. The twin requests to the United
Nations contained in the Bonn agreement—to monitor and assist
in all aspects of implementation—will therefore be relevant
to the post-election stage of the Afghan peace process.
International Relations
27. The Interim and Transitional Administrations
through active diplomacy successfully forged relationships with
Afghanistan's neighbours and many other countries around the world.
Afghanistan's participation in the "six plus two" discussions
on 11 March 2002 was a sign of renewal in the country's regional
relations, which had greatly suffered during the two decades of
war. The important relationship with its neighbours was reinforced
and formalised through the Kabul Declaration on Good Neighbourly
Relations that was signed in Kabul on 22 December 2002. The Kabul
Declaration was reinforced by the September 2003 Declaration on
Encouraging Closer Trade, Transit, and Investment Co-operation.
Furthermore, the establishment of a Tripartite Commission between
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States has increased understanding
between Afghanistan and Pakistan and improved co-operation in
addressing mutual security concerns.
28. The close and continuing partnership
between the Afghan Interim and Transitional authorities and the
international community was highlighted and reinforced, in particular,
during the UN General Assemblies in both September 2002 and 2003,
with ad hoc high-level meetings. In December 2002, the Afghan
government and UN members states reviewed the progress of the
Bonn Agreement and examined the way forward during the Petersberg
II meeting at the site of Bonn Talks.
ANNEX III TO
THE BERLIN
DECLARATION
The Berlin Declaration on Counter-Narcotics within
the framework of the Kabul Good Neighbourly Relations Declaration
Berlin, 1 April 2004
The representatives of the Transitional Islamic
State of Afghanistan and the governments of the People's Republic
of China, Islamic. Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan
met in Berlin on 1 April to consider further practical follow-up
to the Kabul Declaration on Good Neighbourly Relations agreed
in Kabul on 22 December 2002, in the area of Counter-Narcotics.
The representatives reaffirmed their countries'
commitment to constructive and supportive bilateral relations
with Afghanistan based on the principles of territorial integrity,
mutual respect, friendly relations, co-operation and non-interference
in each other's affairs.
In accordance with these principles, the representatives
agreed on the need to strengthen their collaboration in the fight
against the illegal cultivation, production and trafficking of
opium and other related substances.
The representatives expressed their support
for the concept of creating a security belt around Afghanistan
with the purpose of organising an effective system to interdict
trafficking of opium products. In this regard they will strengthen
their co-operation within the framework of the Global Anti-Narcotics
Partnership.
The representatives recognised that a stable
Afghanistan with a strong central Government is essential to counter-narcotics
efforts and that they therefore reaffirm their support for the
government of Afghanistan, and fulfilment of their obligations
under the Kabul Declaration on Good Neighbourly Relations of December
2002.
The representatives agreed that the cultivation
and supply of opium seriously undermines normal economic and social
development; that it fosters poverty, lawlessness and political
instability. They therefore asserted their collective commitment
to working with the ultimate goal of the elimination of opium
cultivation and supply in this region and noted the substantial
benefits that this would bring to the stability and prosperity
of the region.
The representatives noted the various initiatives
and activities already under way to meet these goals. They congratulated
the Government of Afghanistan on its strong commitment to eliminating
the cultivation of opium and encouraged it to continue to take
effective, measures under its National Drug Control Strategy to
tackle .the problem and pledged their full support for these measures.
The Representatives emphasised the principle
of "International Solidarity and Burden Sharing" and
called on International Donors to provide the maximum possible
financial and technical assistances to Afghanistan.
The representatives resolved that their governments
will take the necessary measures:
— To ensure that their border territories
are secure and that, to this end, they devote the necessary resources
to their respective border guard forces;
— To ensure they interdict the maximum
possible quantities of opiates as they leave Afghanistan; and
that their interdiction capacity should undermine the capacity
of traffickers to export opiate;
— To facilitate the closest possible
communication and collaboration between their respective counter-narcotics
forces, including the exchange of information and intelligence;
— To explore fully the scope for carrying
out co-ordinated operations on their respective sides of border
areas, where there is clear advantage in their doing so;
— To pursue comprehensive national
drugs strategies that include active programs of measures in respect
to: the expansion of law enforcement capacity; the development
of appropriate legal and institutional frameworks, including legislation
on money-laundering and corruption, and the reduction of demand
for opiates among their domestic population;
— Noting that programmes and initiatives
vary between different countries, to share knowledge and best
practice on all aspects of counter-narcotics, including: the elimination
of crops; the interdiction of supply and disruption of supply
chains; the development of alternative livelihoods for opium poppy
farmers; and the reduction of local demand;
— To ensure, as far as possible, that
the development of alternative livelihoods is tailored to actual
demand in the local and regional economy; and to explore fully
the scope for promoting the trade of alternative goods and services
(agricultural and nonagricultural) in regional and international
markets.
— To co-operate closely in international
fora on counter-narcotics, notably the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. To work
with the countries affected by opium originating from Afghanistan:
to ensure maximum possible co-ordination of the respective programmes
they pursue in collaboration with international actors; and to
undermine the risk of shifts in one country or region creating
windows of opportunity for drugs trafficking in another.
The representatives agreed that their officials
would take work forward in these areas and hold a follow-up meeting
at expert/official level by June 2004 in Kabul under the auspices
of the Afghan Government. They agreed that their governments should
meet to review progress within one year of signature of this declaration.
The representatives noted the determination
of their governments to identify further areas of regional co-operation
and agreed that a further meeting on environmental issues would
be held in the summer of 2004.
Signed:
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan
Peoples Republic of China
Islamic Republic of Iran
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Republic of Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Republic of Uzbekistan
Afghanistan Conference in Berlin
Berlin, 31 Man and 1 April 2004
(c) 1995-2004 Auswartiges Amt Publication Data
g0l108
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