BBC - Afghanistan still faces a long road to peace and stability, President Hamid Karzai has told international donors.

Speaking at a conference in London to discuss a new five-year development plan, he said terrorism and drugs remained the nation's biggest threats.

Mr Karzai praised the progress made but said more help from outside was needed.

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said international involvement was important not just for Afghanistan but for the security of the whole world.

Despite progress in building up a new government, major concerns remain over security, poverty and the drugs trade.

Co-chaired by Afghanistan and the UN, the two-day conference will launch the Afghan Compact, a framework for international engagement with Afghanistan over the next five years.

Speaking as the meeting opened, Mr Karzai said "great strides" had been made towards peace and stability but terrorism and narcotics remained "the gravest of threats".

"It is not the security and independence of Afghanistan alone that is threatened by terrorism," he told delegates.

"This menace is the enemy of peace and humanity and is responsible for the massacre of the innocent across the world."

Mr Blair said the international community was determined to stick with the Afghan people through a "struggle that concerns all of us".

UN Secretary Kofi Annan said Afghanistan could be proud of the progress made over the past four years, particularly in democracy, but warned against complacency in the face of increasing violence.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the Bush administration planned to give Afghanistan $1.1bn (Ł621m) in aid next year.

She stressed US commitment to the long-term success of Afghanistan and urged the international community to redouble its efforts.

"The transformation of Afghanistan is remarkable but incomplete," she said. "And it is essential that we all increase our support for the Afghan people."

'Naive'

The Afghan government will present its strategy on development, security, good governance and the drugs trade to officials from some 70 nations and international organisations over the next two days.

Mr Karzai earlier told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the eradication of Afghanistan's poppy fields could take 10 to 15 years because many people relied on the drugs trade for their livelihood.

He admitted to having been "naive" about the difficulties of ending poppy cultivation when he came to power three years ago.

Afghanistan remains the source of nearly 90% of the world's opium and heroin, with the illegal drugs trade accounting for a third of the country's economy.

Mr Karzai also cited a need for better cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan to fight terrorism. A recent upsurge in violence has largely been blamed on Taleban insurgents.

The conference comes as Nato prepares to expand its role in Afghanistan with the deployment of an extra 6,000 troops.

The troops will move into the volatile south of the country where US-led troops have been operating.

Printer Friendly Version | E-mail this to a friend

digg