International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan
Tokyo, January 21-22, 2002
The International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan was held on January 21-22, 2002 in Tokyo. Japan, the US, the EU and Saudi Arabia were the co-chairs of the Conference. Under the leadership of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme a needs assessment was conducted in December and presented to the conference in Tokyo. Consultations were conducted with Afghans and a wide range of civil society representatives in Kabul, Pakistan and Iran as well as with the Afghan Interim Administration.
The Tokyo conference concluded with pledges and contributions of over 4.5 billion US dollars for the next few years, including 1.8 billion US dollars for 2002. It emphasized the centrality of restoring the rights of women and highlighted education for girls as one of the key priorities for the reconstruction of the country.
UN Talks on Afghanistan
Bonn, November/December 2001
The United Nations sponsored talks between four Afghan groups in Bonn, Germany, which were chaired by
the chief UN envoy for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi. The talks ended on 5 December with the signing of
an agreement
on a provisional arrangement in Afghanistan pending the re-establishment of permanent government
institutions. Two women had been participants in the negotiations. The agreement includes a Department of Women's
Affairs and stressed the importance of the participation of women.
