Актуальные проблемы Европы №3 / 2013

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The European Union role in today's Afghanistan

V. Usackas

Аннотация. В статье рассматривается широкий круг вопросов, демонстрирующих приверженность Евросоюза курсу на стабилизацию Афганистана. Отражена деятельность ЕС по становлению эффективного афганского государства, предоставлению гуманитарной помощи, продвижению демократии и защите прав человека. Освещены усилия ЕС по борьбе с наркотиками. Автор считает, что история государств – членов ЕС может послужить примером успешного разрешения конфликтов.

Abstract. The article covers a wide range of issues that demonstrate the EU commitment to achieve a more stable Afghanistan. It reviews the activities of the EU supporting the development of an effective Afghan state, providing humanitarian aid, promoting democracy and human rights, supporting counter-narcotics efforts. The author asserts that Europe can be considered as a current example of the successful settlement of conflicts.

Ключевые слова: Евросоюз, стабилизация Афганистана, продвижение демократии, защита прав человека, борьба с наркотиками, разрешение конфликтов.

Keywords: the EU, stabilization of Afghanistan, democracy promotion, protection of human rights, conflict settlement.

Introduction

All EU countries, as well as the Afghans themselves and the international community share a common goal – to achieve a more stable Afghanistan. Afghanistan needs to take responsibility for their own security and have a functioning public administration system. Our objective is to help rebuild the foundations of Afghanistan, so that it is able to protect its own people and control its territory and so that Afghanistan does not again become a safe haven for terrorists. For the past two decades, the European Union has demonstrated its commitment to Afghanistan. The history of the engagement began in 1994 when the European Commission decided to support the people of Afghanistan affected by the ongoing conflict and natural disasters through its Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department, ECHO.

Even during the Taliban era, the European Union was still present in the country. Based in Peshawar at that time, ECHO worked to provide an emergency aid to the Afghan people. During these troubled times, when the Taliban government was issuing directives to force NGOs out of the country, ECHO did everything in its power to continue to deliver aid to those who most needed it in Afghanistan. The focus was on demining, safe drinking water, sanitation, safe housing for returning displaced people and relief for women and other vulnerable groups. In 2002, the European Union launched its first representation in Afghanistan. Since then, the EU has been one of the major actors in Afghanistan and one of its biggest donors.

Afghanistan continues to struggle from the impact of conflict. The enthusiasm triggered by the fall of the Taliban in 2001 started to turn to disillusionment as, from 2005 onwards, the state struggled to maintain security and control over its territory and failed to deliver on the aspirations of citizens for a prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan. Despite this, substantial improvements have been achieved in terms of access to basic health services, education and agriculture.