Karzai appeals for Afghanistan aid

PARIS, France (AP) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai has appealed to world donors for massive, long-term aid for reconstruction and boosting food security.

Karzai has also pledged to fight pervasive corruption that has hobbled aid efforts since the 2001 ouster of the Taliban.

He told international donors in Paris on Thursday that "Afghanistan needs large amounts of aid." But he added that "how aid is spent is just as important."

He said boosting farmers and making them less dependent on the drug trade is crucial to Afghanistan's future.

The Afghan government is hoping to secure $15 billion to $20 billion at the conference.

U.S. First Lady Laura Bush says world donors must not turn their backs on Afghanistan.

She says Afghanistan has reached "a decisive moment for its future" and has confirmed that the United States is pledging $10.2 billion in aid at the donors conference in Paris.

Mrs. Bush opened Thursday's conference along with Karzai, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Sarkozy says the world's rich nations need a new strategy for aiding Afghanistan.

Sarkozy, opening the international donors conference for Afghanistan, says aid to the troubled country must be more effective.

He says aid must be accompanied by security efforts and should focus more on agriculture. He also says Pakistan should do more to help make Afghanistan a safer and less desperately poor place.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

All About Afghanistan • United States • Hamid Karzai