Kabul, 18 June 2008 - The Japanese Chargé d'Affaires ad interim, Mr Katsuhide Ariyoshi and the Deputy Country Director and Officer in Charge of UNDP, Mr Ian Holland, held a Signing Ceremony for the Exchange of Notes this morning to provide an additional 477 million yen ($4.5 million) to Afghanistan's New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) for the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG).
The funds provided by Japan on Wednesday will be used to disband illegal armed groups as well to assist in promoting community development to those districts that have complied with the DIAG programme.
This donation marks the second contribution from Japan to ANBP for DIAG project, increasing Japanese overall total contribution for DIAG to over $10 million. Japan serves as the lead nation for DIAG following the successful Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programme. Other contributing donors include the UK, Canada, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and USA.
Japan has also contributed to other UNDP projects that address DIAG and Security Sector Reform including the National Area Based Development Programme ($15 million) and the Law and Order Trust Fund (over $20 million).
DIAG aims at supporting the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in improving human security through disarmament and disbandment of illegal armed groups and reducing the level of armed violence in the community. This programme also seeks to empower existing government programmes for socio-economic development to enhance stability and the promotion of good governance and rule of law which are essential and integral parts of Security Sector Reform in Afghanistan.
ANBP was established in June 2003 as part of UNDP's support to Afghanistan's government in DDR of the Afghan Military Forces in which Japan contributed over $91 million as the lead nation. Since the completion of DDR through ANBP, UNDP has also provided assistance to Afghanistan's government in disbanding illegal armed group and destroying stockpiles of munitions.
Media Contacts:
?Embassy of Japan
Kyoko Okano
Attaché
+93 (0) 700 285 721
kyoko.okano@mofa.go.jp
?UNDP
Fezeh Hosseini
Public Information Officer
+93 (0) 700 475 714
fezeh.hosseini@undp.org
?ANBP
Nangylai Tanai Public Information Associate
+93 (0) 700 239 850
ntanai@anbpafg.org
About DIAG:
The DIAG process was launched on 11 June 2005 when officially announced by His Excellency Second Vice President Khalili. DIAG is run through the Disarmament and Reintegration Commission and is supported by the Joint Secretariat which comprises government officials, UNDP/ANBP and other stakeholders. To date 39,687 weapons as well as 29,418 pieces of boxed and 361,141 pieces of unboxed ammunition have been handed over to and verified by ANBP collection teams in Afghanistan. As a result of DIAG efforts, 326 Illegal Armed Groups have been disbanded and 33 districts have complied.