The EU and Member States have been major donors in supporting the development of a stable and prosperous Afghanistan and currently spend more than €1 billion a year in development aid in the country. Their commitment is for the long term reflected in the fact that they have agreed to maintain their support for Afghanistan at current levels for the years to come. In a country where an estimated 36 percent of Afghans still live below the poverty line, and the population continues to experience high rates of malnutrition and food insecurity, the EU is also providing much needed humanitarian aid and contributing to the elimination of poverty.
The Lisbon Treaty, ratified by the 27 EU Member States in 2009, was a major achievement. This treaty includes key changes aimed at increasing the consistency and coherence of the EU's external actions. It provided the EU with its own Diplomatic Service – The EU External Action Service (EEAS), currently led by High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton. The Lisbon Treaty has considerably changed the EU footprint in Afghanistan as it has done all around the world. It has strengthened the role of the EU in international relations and provided it with a single voice. For example, instead of two different representatives, the Head of the European Union delegation (HoD) and the EU Special Representative (EUSR) is now one and the same person. I therefore represent, negotiate and coordinate on behalf of the EU and works closely with the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the NATO Senior Civilian Representative as well as with the Afghan authorities and the International Community representatives in Kabul. Close coordination with all Member States also allows the EU in Afghanistan to be particularly coherent and efficient. I also work closely with my colleagues from Russia, India, China, Turkey, Australia and Japan and others who are involved in support and reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Why are the EU and MS in Afghanistan?
The European Union is committed for the long haul. In November 2011, the EU and Member States' Foreign Ministers agreed that they would seek to continue their support for Afghanistan at least at current levels well into the «decade of transformation», from 2014 to 2024.