Approval of National Budget, a key moment of Afghan Democracy

Tomorrow 17 January 2018, the draft national budget for the FY1397 / 2018 is expected to be submitted to the Wolesi Jirga. This will represent a significant milestone in the Afghan Government’s path of economic reform.

The Government of Afghanistan has embarked on an important reform process enhancing the credibility and transparency of the national budget as well as compliance with international principles of good public finance governance.

The EU recognizes the significance of the momentum triggered by the draft national budget for FY1397 / 2018 in ensuring that budget reform and the underlying fiscal framework sustains the Government’s pursuit of increased self-reliance, state-building and overall peace-building in Afghanistan. The national budget is set to become the main vehicle for the implementation of Afghanistan’s development policies, notably the 2017-2021 Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework (ANPDF) and the National Priority Programmes (NPPs) as presented at the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan in October 2016. The national budget prioritises spending towards initiatives that spur sustainable & inclusive growth, jobs creation and the provision of basic services to the population – within well-known fiscal constraints.

The EU strongly believes in democratic processes. A vote on a national budget is one of these pivotal moments when the pact between the citizens, their elected representatives and the Government can be renewed.