Donor nations begin Afghanistan aid pledges
Updated
The United States Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, says the US will announce a contribution of $US10 billion for Afghanistan at this week's donors' conference in Paris.
The Australian government says it will provide an extra $A250 million in aid to help reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister, Stephen Smith, has just visited Afghanistan and says the money will be used to help make the country safer and provide food and other services.
"We want to see progress in governance issues, we want to see progress against narcotics, and we want to see progress in terms of the capacity of the Afghan government to deliver basic services for its people," he said.
The conference will gather more than 60 countries as well as 15 international organisations.
It is intended as a show of support for the Afghan people and a chance to review development and security strategy.
International aid groups have been criticised for not doing enough to coordinate work among donors, integrate security with development, and provide money directly through the Afghan government.
Afghanistan will ask donors to help fund a $US50 billion five-year national development plan.
In exchange, donors will demand Kabul do more to fight corruption in what is one of the world's poorest states.
