Germany is contributing 13 million euro to the international Trust Fund for the payment of police officers’ salaries in Afghanistan. The relevant agreement was signed today in Kabul.

In response, Federal Foreign Minister Dr Guido Westerwelle issued the following statementtoday (17 December) in Berlin:

“Building up the police force has to be an important focusof our commitment in Afghanistan. We want to gradually pass responsibility for the security of the country into the hands of the Afghan security forces. For this, there have to be not just well trained but also appropriately paid police officers. That is why we are helping finance salaries.”

With its regular payments to the Law and Order Trust Fund Afghanistan (LOFTA), Germany is making an important contribution to paying Afghan police officers. An appropriate salary plays a decisive role in preventing corruption. This is why a decision was taken in the LOFTA to increase police salaries and the danger allowance in November 2009.

The LOFTA was created in 2002 and is administered by the United Nations (UNDP). Its annual funds amount to some 200 million euro from international donors and are paid out through the Afghan Government. Japan, the United States and the European Commission are the main contributors to the Fund.

German bilateral commitment to rebuild the police force focuseson basic and further training, equipment, and the construction and running of training centres. In 2009 the Federal Foreign Office is providing 50.2 million euro.