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India concerned about assistance to Afghanistan

Suman Guha Mozumder in New York

India, which has granted $10 million to Kabul as immediate assistance, told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that it is concerned whether timely international assistance is being given to the interim administration in Afghanistan.

Addressing the Council on the occasion of the Karzai administration's completion of 100 days in power, India said that while the government in Kabul is resolutely trying to gradually reestablish a sense of security, it lacks resources it requires and has requested for international assistance.

"I would like to reiterate our prime concern. By all evidence the interim administration is doing all it can to bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan," Kamalesh Sharma, India's ambassador to the United Nations, told the Council.

"Is the international community matching this endeavour with the timely assistance it needs and deserves?" Sharma asked without naming any country.

India brought to the notice of the Council members that New Delhi has committed to extending assistance to Afghanistan over the long-term covering not just immediately required humanitarian assistance, but also in sectors, including police training, education, housing, human resources development, public transport and industrial development.

"Our prime minister has announced a grant of $10 million for immediate utilisation by the Afghan government. We are ready to do more," Sharma said.

He noted that Afghanistan's rehabilitation and reconstruction would take time, patience and considerable resources.

"However, the international community must steadily stay the course and not turn its back on Afghanistan," Sharma said.

Sharma said that for its developmental efforts to be productive and lasting the international community must match generosity with wisdom.

"No one knows better than the Afghans what is good for them and how best to do it," he said.

"Temptation to foist solutions or structures not suitable or responsive to the local environment should be resisted as these will neither serve the cause of the donors nor of the Afghans," Sharma said.

"In determining what will work sustainability should be the touchstone," he added.

Sharma said that India believed that emphasis on South-South cooperation in meeting the developmental needs of Afghanistan should be an integral part of the international community's strategy.

"We therefore strongly recommend that the least developed country perspective should not be lost sight of," he said.

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