Strategic Objective Grant Agreement Signed

The Agreements provide a five-year framework for cooperation between the U.S. Government, acting through USAID, and the Government of Afghanistan to reach key strategic development objectives.

For Immediate Release

Thursday, December 1, 2005
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN- On December 1, 2005, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Government of the United States of America signed a Memorandum of Understanding on four Strategic Objective Grant Agreements that were signed on September 19, 2005 by the Afghan Government, represented by the Ministry of Finance, and the U.S. Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  These agreements represent a historic commitment of the United States to support the people of Afghanistan over a five-year period to achieve key strategic development objectives – objectives that correspond to the national development priorities established by the democratically elected Afghan Government.
 
The Agreements provide a five-year framework for cooperation between the U.S. Government, acting through USAID, and the Government of Afghanistan to reach four key strategic development objectives:
  1.  
  2. A better educated and healthier population;
  3. A thriving economy led by the private sector (includes infrastructure, agriculture, alternative livelihoods and more traditional economic growth activities);
  4. A democratic government with broad citizen participation; and
  5. Program support for each of the other objectives (includes expanding activities to the provinces, ICT and communications, women’s issues, internally displaced persons, capacity building and work with demobilized ex-combatants.
The agreements include contributions by both the U.S and Afghan Governments to achieve these strategic developments over a period of five years. The United States has already committed $479.6 million this year. The Afghan government has contributed $199.2 million. 
 
 
The Agreements ensure that U.S. Government assistance is coordinated with the Afghan Government's national development priorities.  
 
 
The Agreements provide a formal mechanism for the Afghan Government to participate in the concept design of new development programs and provide for a bi-annual portfolio review of all development activities by the USAID Mission Director and the Minister of Finance.