French aid for reconstruction

In 2002, France set up an action program for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The first objectives of this cooperation were to respond to the humanitarian emergency and to relaunching traditional cooperation: aid to the Esteqlal and Malalai French-speaking high schools in Kabul, cooperation in the fields of health, agriculture, culture, governance and the rule of law. In 2004, the decision to include Afghanistan in the Priority Solidarity Zone (PSZ) has allowed this country to benefit from financing from the French Development Agency (AFD) and access to the Priority Solidarity Fund (PSF).

President Sarkozy announced at the Paris conference in June 2008 an increase in French civilian aid to Afghanistan. 106 million over three years.

This objective was confirmed and amplified by the decision taken in 2009 to further increase French civil aid, bringing it to 40 million euros per year, with a particular focus on project implementation in Kapisa province and in the district of Surobi. A civilian team of 9 French experts in governance and development (the Pôle de Stabilité) was deployed in this area in the summer of 2010. The Stability Pole will disappear at the end of 2014 and its actions will be resumed. by the Cultural Action Department of the French Embassy, and the French Development Agency (AFD).

The amount of French aid for cooperation projects amounted to 308 million euros for the period 2012-2016.

Health

On April 7, 2006, the project of a French Medical Institute for Children (FMIC) in Kabul was launched. It was originally initiated by the NGO La Chaîne de l'Espoir and built with the help of private funds that La Chaîne de l'Espoir and Afghan Children have mobilized, as well as with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is managed by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), the Aga Khan Channel and the Aga Khan Foundation. de l'Espoir bringing its expertise and experience in medical and paramedical training. The first open-heart operation of Afghan history was practiced there, on a child, in April 2006.

A 9 million euro concessional loan from AFD will finance an extension of the hospital which should be completed by the end of 2016. This new The new building will enable the company to expand its hospital services, particularly in maternity, gynecology/obstetrics and neonatology. In addition, AFD, in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation, has also provided 5.7 million euros in funding for a project in support of maternal health in Badakhshan province. This project, which aims to improve the health system in this province is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.
AFD also financed an 8 million euro project to rehabilitate the national blood transfusion system.

Agriculture

In the field of agriculture, a project to support agricultural development (cotton and cereals), subsidized by AFD, was launched in 2004 in the provinces of Koundouz and Balkh. In the continuity of this project, AFD allocated 5.2 million euros in 2008 to develop two strategic agricultural productions in the north and northeast of Afghanistan. This project should be completed by the end of June 2015.

AFD also financed a 10 million euro rural development program in the Central Mountains to improve the health system in Badakhshan province. This project will be completed by the end of 2015.

The rule of law

France coordinated international efforts to support the establishment of the Afghan Parliament, in narrow collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and its partners, in particular European. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs allocated 2.5 million euros and the European Commission 3.5 million euros. million. This project consisted in forming an efficient parliamentary administration to support the work of elected officials. The expertise of the French Senate and National Assembly played a major role in the success of this undertaking.

In a complementary way, a Franco-German project of training of judges and magistrates of the Afghan Supreme Court has been launched . More recently, vice-governors have been trained in three one-month stays (about ten participants each time) between 2012 and 2014 and a fourth stay should take place in 2015. These trainings, at the ENA and in the Prefecture, aim to improve the good governance in Afghanistan.

Other sectors

Finally, French cooperation is also involved in the private sector revival (Proparco granted a loan of 5 million). 40 million for the development of microcredit and three loans totaling $40 million for the development of telephony mobile) and the preservation of Afghanistan's millennial heritage. In 2002, the DAFA restarted its activities of protection, conservation, and Restoration and development of the country's archaeological wealth, and the reconstruction of the National Institute for Archaeology. was the subject of French funding in 2010.

In the field of education, in addition to the aid to French-speaking high schools already mentioned, France supports the rehabilitation of several teacher training institutes, as well as the renovation of school science curricula. In the education sector In addition, cooperation has been initiated with Kabul University (Faculty of Law, French Department).