NATO Extends Funding to Afghan Forces Until 2024

NATO has extended funding to Afghan defense and security forces until 2024, the alliance’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, following the end of two-day summit in Brussels.

“We provide support to the  Afghan army and security forces in different ways. We provide training and funding and what we decided today was to continue both with training and funding,” Stoltenberg told reporters during a news conference in Brussels.

“Our current commitment to funding is 2020,  now we have decided to have funding to 2024,” he added. 

Stoltenberg stressed that the money and the training which NATO provides would be used to strengthen the Afghan forces in many different areas.

The NATO chief, meanwhile, said that they are focused on the areas including special operational forces which according to him have proven extremely important in the fight against the Taliban and terrorism in Afghanistan.

Stoltenberg further said that NATO is also focusing on improving the command and control to develop and build military academies and military schools in Afghanistan.

The NATO Chief’s remarks come  as the alliance’s  two-day summit in Brussels ended on Thursday; the NATO leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Afghanistan’s long-term security and stability.

The NATO heads of states in a joint statement reiterated their call on the Taliban to engage in the Afghan-led and owned peace process as the only pathway to a sustainable resolution of the conflict.