'Donors to pledge over $16 bn for Afghanistan'
Donors at a major development conference in Tokyo for Afghanistan will pledge a total aid of more than $16 billion for four years to 2015.
Donors at a major development conference in Tokyo for Afghanistan will pledge a total aid of more than $16 billion for four years to 2015.
The pledge, at the more than 70-nation meeting, will include part of the aid to be declared by Japan which will provide up to $3 billion for the five years to 2016, in addition to $1 billion for the war-torn nation's neighbouring states, Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba said on Saturday.
"The aid will satisfy the fiscal gap that the World Bank and the Afghan government have said would be needed for the development of the country," he added.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called for $4 billion a year in civilian aid as he fears donations could dry up if the international community does not stay committed to supporting the country after the foreign troops pull out in 2014.