AusAID funding to Afghanistan

Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee
Senate Budget Estimates, June 2011
Questions on Notice: AusAID
Question No.26

Senator Ludlam asked on notice
Afghanistan funding:
a) What are the elements of AusAID's funding to Afghanistan?
b) What percentage of aid to Afghanistan is going into maternal mortality prevention?
c) How much donor funding is being provided to Uruzgan by other countries?

Answer:
a) See below for a breakdown of AusAID funding to Afghanistan in 2010-11. (Attached)

b) At the national level, it is not possible to fully disaggregate AusAID's funding to maternal mortality prevention. Almost 50 per cent of AusAID funding is delivered through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, which supports a range of national development programs, including the Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS). BPHS is an Afghanistan-wide health program, which has contributed to increasing access to basic health care from less than 10 per cent of the population in 2001 to 85 per cent today.

At the national level, in 2010-11 AusAID also contributed $1.6 million (part of a four year $6.7 million grant) to a program delivered by the Afghan Red Crescent Society in partnership with the International Federation of the Red Cross. The program provides support to all 5 components of the Afghan Red Crescent Society country strategy, one of which is maternal, newborn and child health.

In Uruzgan, it is easier to disaggregate Australian health funding. In 2010-11, approximately 30 per cent of Australian aid to Uruzgan will be directed towards programs that directly support women and children's health. This includes:
 $6.7 million (part of a four year $35.7 million program) managed by Save the Children to provide Health and Education services in Uruzgan
 $0.24 million through Save the Children to provide health and hygiene education to 8 schools in Uruzgan

c) In 2011 the Netherlands will contribute approximately €28 million in aid to Uruzgan. The US, through USAID, provided an estimated USD 17.2 million in aid to Uruzgan in US financial year 2010. Projections for USAID spending Uruzgan for US financial year 2011 are approximately USD 19.6 million.