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| Afghanistan conference: Donors urged to pledge support | Afghanistan conference: Donors urged to pledge support |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Delegates from more than 50 nations are in London for talks intended to boost Afghanistan's prospects after most foreign combat forces leave this month. | |
| Aid agencies working in Afghanistan are urging the international community to make long-term financial commitments or risk seeing the country collapse. | Aid agencies working in Afghanistan are urging the international community to make long-term financial commitments or risk seeing the country collapse. |
| The conference comes after a recent increase in attacks by the Taliban. | The conference comes after a recent increase in attacks by the Taliban. |
| President Ashraf Ghani, who took power in September, has vowed to bring peace after decades of conflict. | President Ashraf Ghani, who took power in September, has vowed to bring peace after decades of conflict. |
| He is expected to use the conference to seek endorsement for his plan for a "transformation decade" from 2015-24, and guarantees that troop withdrawals will not be quickly followed by cuts in financial aid. | He is expected to use the conference to seek endorsement for his plan for a "transformation decade" from 2015-24, and guarantees that troop withdrawals will not be quickly followed by cuts in financial aid. |
| "As Afghanistan has a commitment to introduce reforms, it will tell the international community, in particular, donors at the meeting, that this is our agenda for reform and based on it, they should assist and support us," Presidential spokesman Nazifollah Salarzai told Afghan TV. | "As Afghanistan has a commitment to introduce reforms, it will tell the international community, in particular, donors at the meeting, that this is our agenda for reform and based on it, they should assist and support us," Presidential spokesman Nazifollah Salarzai told Afghan TV. |
| Can pomegranates power the Afghan economy? | Can pomegranates power the Afghan economy? |
| Analysis: Mike Wooldridge, BBC News, Kabul | Analysis: Mike Wooldridge, BBC News, Kabul |
| For all the expressions of goodwill President Ghani can expect to hear today, he also knows that he has to rebuild trust between Afghanistan and its international partners. | For all the expressions of goodwill President Ghani can expect to hear today, he also knows that he has to rebuild trust between Afghanistan and its international partners. |
| The view here in Kabul seems to be that he has made a good start but there is disappointment that he and Abdullah Abdullah - the de facto Prime Minister - have still not agreed on the make up of the cabinet. | The view here in Kabul seems to be that he has made a good start but there is disappointment that he and Abdullah Abdullah - the de facto Prime Minister - have still not agreed on the make up of the cabinet. |
| Appointing ministers to the key security portfolios is considered to be particularly urgent in the hope of improving co-ordination between the police and the Afghan army. For Afghans, creating jobs will clearly be one of the measurable signs that dysfunctional government is on the wane. | Appointing ministers to the key security portfolios is considered to be particularly urgent in the hope of improving co-ordination between the police and the Afghan army. For Afghans, creating jobs will clearly be one of the measurable signs that dysfunctional government is on the wane. |
| But what could really make the difference to people's hard-pressed lives here is whether President Ghani's hopes for reconciliation and, ultimately, peace can succeed where the past efforts have failed. | But what could really make the difference to people's hard-pressed lives here is whether President Ghani's hopes for reconciliation and, ultimately, peace can succeed where the past efforts have failed. |
| BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says the meeting will encourage the new Afghan government to do far more than former President Hamid Karzai to tackle corruption, improve the country's security forces and demonstrate that no-one is above the law. | BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says the meeting will encourage the new Afghan government to do far more than former President Hamid Karzai to tackle corruption, improve the country's security forces and demonstrate that no-one is above the law. |
| Meanwhile, a coalition of British and Irish charities will warn the conference that a combination of cuts in their international funding and growing security fears among their staff threatens to reverse the progress that has been made. | Meanwhile, a coalition of British and Irish charities will warn the conference that a combination of cuts in their international funding and growing security fears among their staff threatens to reverse the progress that has been made. |
| In a survey released ahead of the conference, the coalition, BAAG, said three-quarters of aid organisations working in Afghanistan had seen development funding fall in the past year. It said half the aid workers in Afghanistan received death threats or intimidation over the same period. | In a survey released ahead of the conference, the coalition, BAAG, said three-quarters of aid organisations working in Afghanistan had seen development funding fall in the past year. It said half the aid workers in Afghanistan received death threats or intimidation over the same period. |
| The Taliban have intensified attacks against foreign nationals, civilians and Afghan soldiers in recent months, raising concerns over the Afghan army's ability to protect the country from insurgents. | The Taliban have intensified attacks against foreign nationals, civilians and Afghan soldiers in recent months, raising concerns over the Afghan army's ability to protect the country from insurgents. |
| The latest in a string of attacks targeted a compound used by a US-based charity on Saturday, killing three South Africans. | The latest in a string of attacks targeted a compound used by a US-based charity on Saturday, killing three South Africans. |
| Last week, two American soldiers and two British embassy workers were killed in separate attacks, with dozens of Afghans also killed and injured. | Last week, two American soldiers and two British embassy workers were killed in separate attacks, with dozens of Afghans also killed and injured. |
| Foreign combat troops are withdrawing at the end of the month. Some 12,000 Nato soldiers will remain for training and advisory purposes, and a separate US-led force will assist Afghan troops in some operations against the Taliban. | Foreign combat troops are withdrawing at the end of the month. Some 12,000 Nato soldiers will remain for training and advisory purposes, and a separate US-led force will assist Afghan troops in some operations against the Taliban. |
| Among those attending the conference are UK Prime Minister David Cameron, US Secretary of State John Kerry, and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. | Among those attending the conference are UK Prime Minister David Cameron, US Secretary of State John Kerry, and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. |