International donors pledge $16B in Afghan aid; money to come with conditions; US part unclear

TOKYO – A U.S. diplomatic official says international donors are pledging $16 billion in aid for Afghanistan in hopes of helping stabilize the country after most foreign combat troops depart at the end of 2014.

The announcement is expected later Sunday at a Tokyo conference attended by about 70 countries and organizations.

An American official travelling with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton confirmed the $16 billion figure — $4 billion per year from 2012 through 2015 — but spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the official word.

The U.S. portion is expected to be in the range of $1 billion to $2.3 billion.

The money is expected to come with conditions so that corruption and mismanagement in Afghanistan will not eat away at the aid. Further accountability measures are expected to stress the democratic process, the rule of law and human rights, especially those of women.