Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Thursday said Australia will increase aid to Afghanistan by providing an additional 115 million Australian dollars (106 million U.S. dollars) over two years.
This brings Australia's total aid commitment to the war-torn Asian country to 450 million dollars (362 million U.S. dollars) since 2001.
The new aid package "will improve the delivery of essential services such as health and education, strengthen agricultural production and help build security and stability in Afghanistan and adjoining areas of Pakistan," Downer said in a statement.
"The additional commitment will strengthen the capacity of both national and provincial level governments to deliver services and security and help fill the vacuum which has been exploited by extremists and drug traffickers in Afghanistan," he said.
The new aid will also be used to help boost governance and security in Pakistan's tribal regions.
"Australia will remain steadfast in its support for Afghanistan and will continue to work with our international partners to prevent the country from again becoming a haven for terrorists," Downer said.
Source: Xinhua
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