Finland to suspend development co-op in Afghanistan

Finland has decided to suspend development cooperation in Afghanistan following the recent political situation and deteriorating law and order of that country.

The conditions for further development cooperation and the forms will be assessed together with the international community and development cooperation organisations as the situation in Afghanistan becomes clearer, said the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in a press release on Tuesday.

“We have to see how the situation develops,” said Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari, adding that Finland is not abandoning the Afghan people, its children, women, men, journalists, doctors, deminers or human rights fighters

Afghanistan has been Finland’s most significant partner country for development cooperation in recent years. Finland’s support for humanitarian aid, the work of international organisations and mine clearance has amounted to around EUR 30 million per year. Assistance is still very much needed, but the conditions for providing it have changed.

Finland’s support has mainly been channelled through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund administered by the World Bank and through UN organisations such as UN Women, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and UNICEF. Assistance has also been delivered through Finnish and international civil society organisations.

This year, Finland has helped to protect civilian lives in Afghanistan by providing a total of EUR three million in humanitarian aid through the World Food Programme and the International Committee of the Red Cross.