Organisation: Foreign & Commonwealth Office Delivered on: 24 April 2013
Published:24 April 2013
Policy:Establishing stability in Afghanistan
Minister:The Rt Hon William Hague MP
World locations:Afghanistan+ 1 other

The Foreign Secretary William Hague has updated Parliament on progress in Afghanistan for March 2013.

The Foreign Secretary said:

£30bn has been spent on aid to Afghanistan, yet the freedom and rights of Afghan women remain under grave threat

Exclusive: UK spent millions on health and education centres that Karzai government can't afford to keep open

Schools and health centres built by the British in Afghanistan as part of the military's counter-insurgency strategy are being forced to close down because President Karzai's government cannot afford to pay for them, the Guardian has learned.

Read the full article in the Guardian

The UK is part of a 50-nation coalition to prevent international terrorists, including Al Qaeda, from again using Afghanistan as a base from which to operate, threatening our security and that of the region.

The Government has committed itself to keeping Parliament informed about developments in Afghanistan on a monthly basis. This twentieth report covers progress in July and August 2012. It reflects the combined assessment of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development.

Abstract: Concerns have been raised that the United Kingdom is reshaping its development approach in order to put its own security interests ahead of those of the poorest – what has been referred to as a 'securitisation of aid’.

More fundamentally, practical attempts at better integrating development and security have frequently been hampered by simplistic understandings of the relationship. As explored in this Working Paper, this has resulted in a lack of innovative approaches for better securing development outcomes and supporting peace.

DFID’s planned expenditure on bilateral aid to Afghanistan is £178 million in 2011-12 and in each of the next three financial years. In Afghanistan, DFID spends its money in four areas: governance and security, education, wealth creation and humanitarian assistance. The purpose of this review is to assess DFID’s systems of control and assurance over its expenditure in Afghanistan. These systems are important because they help to minimise the risk of theft, fraud and corruption (collectively known as leakage).

The United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom have agreed today to join forces to better support the efforts of the governments of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen to tackle poverty and promote growth. Under the new agreement, the two will also look at ways to ensure an effective joint response to future emergencies such as earthquakes or floods, as well as boosting resilience in vulnerable countries to help them reduce the risk of such disasters.

The APRC Annual Report 2011 showcases our impact over the year highlighting results in priority areas of work, including: MDG acceleration and social protection; gender equality; climate change and crisis resilience. Finding effective approaches to these complex issues required thinking outside of the thematic silos and combining the knowledge and expertise of all APRC practice teams.

The UK is engaged in Afghanistan as part of a 50-nation coalition to prevent international terrorists, including Al Qaeda, from again using Afghanistan as a base from which to operate, threatening our security and that of the region.

The Government has committed itself to keeping Parliament informed about developments in Afghanistan on a monthly basis. This thirteenth report covers progress in December 2011. It reflects the combined assessment of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development.