afghan

Draft of SPA gets finalized b/w Afghanistan & Norway

Afghanistan and Norway gave final shape to the draft of the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) b/w the two countries. The draft of the agreement is ready for signature and the two countries will ink it in September 2012.Afghanistan has already inked SPAs with the US,Britain, India, Germany, France and Italy.China is also eager to sign similar agreement with Afghanistan.








International Donors Conference on Afghanistan was held at----> Tokyo

Tokyo Conference pledged to provide 16 Billion Dollar Aid to Afghanistan

Tokyo conference promises $16 billion aid to Afghanistan
International donors pledged $16 billion development aid for war-torn Afghanistan over the next 4 years, when most NATO-led foreign troops will leave the country.
Tokyo Conference: About 70 countries and organizations attended the one day Tokyo conference in Tokyo, Japan which was aimed at setting aid levels for the crucial period through and beyond 2014, when most foreign troops will leave and the country will take responsibility for most of its own security.










“Major Non Nato Ally” status to Afghanistan
US bestowed Afghanistan with Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status in the wake of draw down of the international forces from the country. The US President Barak Obama signed a Presidential order assigning Afghanistan a MNNA. This is the first such designation by Obama Administration.
The two nations had inked long term strategic partnership agreement in May 2012 which also includes commitments on promoting democracy, good governance, advancing long-term security with the provision of foreign funds for the Afghan forces.
What is MNNA?
 Major non-NATO ally (MNNA) is a designation given by the United States government to close allies who have strategic working relationships with US armed forces but are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. While the MNNA status does not automatically include a mutual defense pact with the United States, it does confer a variety of military and financial advantages that otherwise are not obtainable by non-NATO countries.
What does MNNA signifies?
 The MNNA status will provide for a long term security and defence cooperation b/w the two countries after the departure of international forces from Afghanistan. MNNA status represents deepening strategic partnership b/w Afghanistan and the US. . The MNNA status provides a range of privileges, such as eligibility to participate in cooperative research and development programmes, expanded bilateral training opportunities and eligibility for priority delivery of excess defence articles.
The other countries (apart from Afghanistan now) having MNNA status are:
 Argentina
 Australia
 Bahrain
 Egypt
 Israel
 Japan
 Jordan
 Kuwait
 Morocco
 New Zealand
 Pakistan
 Philippines
 Republic of Korea
 Taiwan
 Thailand

The Death toll in the massive suicide bomb attack in a mosque in northern Afghanistan during Eid-al-Azha prayers today, has gone up to 41. Several dozen others have been wounded in the blast. Reports quoting provincial officials said a suicide bomber in an Afghan police uniform blew himself up in the Eid-Gah mosque in the capital city of Maymana in northern Faryab province. The governor and the police chief of the province along with many civilians and police personnel were gathered at the mosque this morning to offer Eid prayers. Our correspondent reports that several police and intelligence officials are among the casualties.

Although no group has so far claimed responsibility for today’s suicide bomb blast but attack on innocent worshipers on the occasion of Eid-al-Adha, inside a mosque demonstrates insurgents’ inhuman face. Afghanistan is passing through security transition and Afghan security forces are getting stronger in numbers as well as strength. Experts believe that the recent spurt in terror attacks in Afghanistan is the result of growing frustration and desperation among insurgents due to strengthening Afghan security forces. -Rajendra Upadhyay,AIR News,Kabul.