EU looks at how to improve governance in Afghanistan

The European Union is contemplating concentrating future financial assistance to Afghanistan on programmes promoting good governance and the fight against corruption, because of complaints about last week's presidential election (20 August), according to diplomats. 

Sweden, the current holder of the presidency of the EU's Council of Ministers, issued a statement on Tuesday (25 August) expressing its concern about reports of electoral fraud and calling on the Afghan authorities to address all irregularities “in a conscientious, transparent, impartial and timely manner”.

Complaints

More than 1,000 complaints have been registered by the Electoral Complaints Commission, which is charged with investigating reports of irregularities and is led by three United Nations-appointed international commissioners and two Afghans. More than 100 of the complaints appear serious enough to have affected the final result.

Foreign ministers from the EU member states are to discuss the EU's strategic options in Afghanistan and Pakistan at a meeting in Stockholm next week (4-5 September). A draft paper outlining such options was discussed by officials from the secretariat of the Council of Ministers and the European Commission yesterday (26 August), before being forwarded to member states' diplomats.

The paper, with “concrete recommendations, policy priorities and a strategy for EU engagement” in Afghanistan, had been requested by EU foreign ministers in June. In the conclusions of the same June meeting, the foreign ministers also stressed the importance of “working towards a single EU representation in order to enhance the EU's coherence and visibility in Afghanistan”.

Preliminary figures

On Tuesday, Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission – the body that organised Thursday's poll – released results from 10% of polling stations that put Hamid Karzai, the incumbent president, in the lead with 40.6% of the vote, ahead of 38.7% for his main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah. Preliminary figures suggested a turnout of around one-third of eligible voters, although the accuracy of voters' registers is questionable.

Analysts warned that the figures were meaningless as votes from the southern provinces – Karzai's power base – had not yet been counted. The south, which is in the grip of the Taliban insurgency, is the main focus of complaints about irregularities.

Observer mission

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European commissioner for external relations, said on Saturday (22 August) that the EU's 120-strong observer mission had “managed to effectively observe these difficult elections”. The poll was “a victory for the Afghan people and a victory for democracy”, she said. A spokesperson for the EU observers said that they would not comment on the poll before results were announced, which may not happen for several weeks. More than 60 long-term observers, led by French MEP Philippe Morillon, are to remain in country to monitor the vote counting.

A second round will be held on 1 October if no candidate obtains more than 50% of the vote.

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