Aid pledge for Afghanistan

DONOR nations have pledged €6.5 billion to help war-ravaged Afghanistan rebuild and confront threats from private militias and widespread drug cultivation over the next three years.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is seeking €25 billion over seven years, saying that with “sustained assistance” the country can “stand on its own”. The US offered €2 billion of the €3.5 billion pledged for next year alone.