Nato Finalises Budget for Funding Afghan Forces Post-2014

The budget breakdown for the funding of the Afghan security forces post-2014 was finalised at the Nato conference in Brussels.

Some countries which were not part of Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) mission in Afghanistan will help to meet the confirmed US$4.1 billion cost per year to maintain the Afghan forces.

Both Pakistan and India were asked for support; Iran was not, NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan Simon Gass told TOLOnews in Brussels.

According to Gass, the US and non-Isaf countries, such as Japan, Pakistan, India, Gulf states, will cover more than half the funding, providing $2.3 billion per year.

Nato and Isaf countries (excluding the US) will give $1.3 billion. And $500 million will come from the Afghan government.

The specific country breakdown of the figures was not disclosed, but the UK government has already confirmed its share amounts to 70 million pounds - or US$110 million.

"The UK contribution of 70 million pounds per annum to the funds to support the Afghan National Security Forces will make Afghanistan a safer and more stable country and protect our own national interests," UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said from Brussels in a statement on the UK Ministry of Defence wesbite.

The number of Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF) is expected to reach 352,000 by the end of 2012 and remain at that level until 2015 - nearly four years, according to Gass.

The reduction of the forces will begin in 2015 and end in 2017 at around 230,000.

"It will not be an overnight drawdown," he said.

Also, there will be an "employment plan" for those ANSF personnel who would be laid off after 2015.

Nato's chief said the ISAF mission will end in 2014 but the alliance will then begin a new mission with a different focus, likely to be training.

The name of the new mission has not been released, however, Nato already has a training mission called Nato Training Mission in Afghanistan (NTMA).

"I see emerging agreement for NATO to take on a new mission in Afghanistan after transition to full Afghan security responsibility is complete," Secretary General Andres Fogh Rasmussen said after a meeting with Nato foreign and defence ministers in Brussels.

"It will be a new mission and a new role for Nato. And together with the rest of the international community, we will play our part and pay our share in sustaining Afghan security forces at the right level in the years to come," he added.

Nato ministers have gathered in Brussels for a preparatory meeting, ahead of the Nato Summit in Chicago next month where leaders of at least 50 countries will come together to make final decisions on the presence of Nato after 2014.

"There, we will decide what our new mission will look like, and how it will work to support Afghanistan, so that it does not become a safe haven for terrorists ever again," Rasmussen added.

ISAF was established in 2002 with a mandate given by the UN Security Council, which has been extended annually over the past decade.

Rasmusen said he was "very pleased" to see that a number of Nato members have announced concrete financial contributions to the Afghan security forces in the future, and other allies announced that they will be able to announce concrete contributions at a later stage.