The German government was represented by Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
A focus on training
One of the new qualitative elements of the strategy entails significantly enhancing the quality and the efficiency of the Afghan security forces, i.e. the army and the police force.
This is fully in line with the German contribution, presented by Chancellor Angela Merkel in the German Bundestag prior to the conference. Germany will be significantly increasing the number of trainers it provides for both the army and the police force in Afghanistan.
Forging ahead with civilian reconstruction
The international community will also be raising the funds provided for civilian reconstruction on a massive scale in the years to come. Germany will be doubling its input to a total of 430 million euros a year.
A conference is to be held in Kabul in a few months time to hammer out a national development strategy with Afghanistan. On this basis then, more aid is to be made available to the Afghan state to enable it to push ahead independently with civilian reconstruction.
Reintegration fund to be set up
Conference delegates expressly welcomed the plans of the Afghan government to offer all Afghans a place within Afghan society, provided they renounce violence, break all links with Al Qaeda and terrorism, and commit themselves to working for a free and open society.
This offer is to be launched soon at a major Peace Jirga. The programme will embrace financial support for a Peace and Reintegration Fund. In her government statement, the Chancellor pledged 10 million euros a year to support a programme of this sort.
The results of the London Conference are a confirmation of the validity of the German government’s concept of a "responsible hand-over".
