Japan to host Iraq donors conference October 13-14

[struggle4progress]

September 07, 2004, 04:54

Japan will host a donors conference on Iraq on October 13-14, aiming to get certain countries more involved in its reconstruction, the foreign ministry said today. Aid totalling $33 billion was pledged for Iraq's reconstruction at a conference in Madrid last October.

Since then, two trust funds run by the United Nations and the World Bank have been set up with a total of just $1 billion, with Japan's contribution of $490 million accounting for about half. A foreign ministry official said Japan hoped the conference would encourage countries that are not members of the trust funds, such as Germany, France, Russia and Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, to take a more active role in Iraq's reconstruction.

The conference will not be one at which donors are expected to make fresh pledges but will be a chance to discuss matters such as Iraq's election, security and development strategy, the official said, adding he expected senior officials from around 30-40 countries and international institutions to attend. - Reuters

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