Speaking at the close of the London Conference on Afghanistan, ministers Maxime Verhagen and Bert Koenders declared that ‘an important step forward’ had been taken towards the transfer of responsibility for security and development to the Afghan authorities.

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More than 60 countries and international organisations reached agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on training more police officers and military personnel, improving governance and tackling corruption, and stepping up cooperation between the countries in the region.

At the conference, the Netherlands pressed in particular for better governance. Minister for Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen was pleased with the measures that were agreed: stiffer penalties for corruption, greater powers to prosecute corrupt administrators and a ban on the appointment of close relatives of ministers and other high-ranking officials to posts susceptible to corruption. An independent international body will oversee implementation of the measures.

Conference participants agreed to establish an Afghan peace fund for the reintegration of members of the Taliban who were willing to renounce violence. The fund should enable communities to finance measures to enable former Taliban fighters to reintegrate into society and to offer them a future. Minister for Development Cooperation Bert Koenders intends to assess how the fund is used in practice before considering a financial contribution.