Activities of Bart STAES related to 2009/2217(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on a new strategy in Afghanistan
Amendments (6)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises the importance of achieving the Millennium Development Goals and deplores the fact that, although some progress has been made, in some areas, Afghanistan has descended from rank 173 in 2003 to rank 181 (out of 182 countries) in UNDP's Human Development Index and whereas mortality rates among children aged under five and maternal mortality rates in Afghanistan remain among the highest in the world; urges, therefore,, considers that these specific objectives, as well as access to health and education, in particular for women, should not be neglected and, but urges that special attention should also be paid to accesbe paid to improved income generation as well as to thealth and education, in particular for women construction of a functioning justice system;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Underlines that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reveals in its study of January 2010 that corruption is the biggest concern of the population and that revenues generated by bribery amounts to almost one quarter (23%) of Afghanistan's GDP;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Takes the view that the fight against corruption should be at the core of the peace building process in Afghanistan, since bribery causes misallocation of resources, constitutes an obstacle for the access to basic public services, such as health or education, and represents a huge impediment to the country's socio- economic development; emphasises likewise that corruption undermines confidence in the public sector and the government, and constitutes consequently a major threat to the stability of the country; therefore, urges the EU to give special attention to the fight against corruption when providing assistance to the country;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Notes that 80% of the population is settled in the rural area while the arable land per capita diminished from 0.55 ha in 1980 to 0.25 ha in 2007; highlights that Afghanistan continues to be highly vulnerable to adverse climatic conditions or rising food prices on the world market, while the widespread and indiscriminate use of landmines poses a significant risk to successful rural development; deems in this context of primary importance to continue and enhance funding geared towards rural development and local food production to achieve food security;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that Afghanistan accounts for 90% of world opium productiomore than 90% of heroin in Europe originates from Afghanistan and that the cost to public health in European countries runs into billions of dollars; proposes, therefore, massive investment in the establishment of a comprehensive agricultural and rural policy which offers opium producers a credible, lasting alternative; recalls that the challenges posed by the drug economy in Afghanistan must be tackled not only nationally but internationally by addressing all links of the drug chain, which requires in particular; assistance to farmers to reduce supply; drug prevention and treatment to curb demand, and law enforcement against the intermediaries; in particular, proposes massive investment in the establishment of a comprehensive agricultural and rural policy which offers opium producers a credible, lasting alternative; insists also upon the need to integrate environment in the agriculture and rural strategy as degradation of the environment, caused for instance by poor management of water resources or the destruction of natural forest, is one of the main barrier to the development of agricultural economy;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Takes act that despite over 350 million euros in donor assistance, the presidential and provincial council elections held in Afghanistan in August 2009 were marred by irregularities and fraud, putting the legitimacy of the Karsai government under heavy strain; condemns in this context the unravelling of the independent status of the Electoral Complaints Commission by the President in February 2010 as the last instance to hold the government responsible for possible fraud in the upcoming parliamentary elections;