Paris, 12 June 2008 -- During an international conference in support of Afghanistan, held in Paris on June 12, the French government and His Highness the Aga Khan reiterated their support for the health policy pursued by the Afghan government.

The French Development Agency (AFD), an institution under the patronage of the French government ministries, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan decided to pursue their partnership for the benefit of the French Medical Institute for Children (FMIC) in Kabul.

A Letter of Intent was signed, in the presence of the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, by His Highness the Aga Khan, the French Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Bernard Kouchner, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Rangin Dadfar Spanta and the Director General of the French Development Agency, Jean-Michel Severino.

The Letter of Intent stipulates that the French Development Agency will donate a grant of two million euros for the training of medical and paramedical personnel at the French Medical Institute for Children.

The AKDN and AFD also envisage a loan of approximately nine million euros for the extension of the Institute.

Moreover, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the AFD and AKDN announced that they will study the possibility of creating a support programme for the National School of Nursing, the Ghazanfar Institute of Health Sciences and other institutions active in the field of medical and nursing services.

Contact:

Kris Janowski
Secretariat de Son Altesse l’Aga Khan
Tel : +33 3 44 58 4000