Donors pledge 20 billion dollars for Afghanistan

AFP, June, 2008

PARIS (AFP) — World donors pledged 20 billion dollars to rebuild Afghanistan on Thursday but also called on President Hamid Karzai to do more to fight corruption and strengthen the rule of law.

"This is a success because we were expecting, in our dreams, 17 billion dollars," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said as he announced a final tally of about 20 billion (13 billion euros).

Karzai asked donors to finance part of a 50-billion-dollar development plan over the next five years to counter widespread poverty and a Taliban insurgency.

The lion's share of funds came from the United States, which offered 10.2 billion dollars over the next two years.

"Afghanistan has reached a decisive moment for its future. We must not turn our backs on this...