Fri, 25 Jul, 2014 12:03:32 AM FTimes-STT Report, July 25  Development Minister Pekka Haavisto. Photo – Lehtikuva. Finland will continue with its aid activities in Afghanistan despite increasing attacks and violence against aid workers in recent years, said Minister of Development Pekka Haavisto on Thursday.
Two Finnish female aid workers were killed in the western Afghan town of Herat by unknown gunmen on Thursday morning.
The victims worked for a Christian aid organisation, International Assistance Mission (IAM).
The region in which the aid workers were killed is, according to the minister, not considered a dangerous area in particular.
“These (attacks) sometimes come unexpectedly and so, in this case, that is what happened,” the minister told news agency STT.
Afghan medical workers carry one of the bodies of two foreign women who were gunned down by men on a motorcycle, at the morgue of Herat hospital on July 24, 2014. Two foreign female aid workers were shot dead by unknown gunmen while travelling in a taxi in the western Afghan city of Herat, officials said. Photo – AFP / Lehtikuva. According to Haavisto, the incident points to political violence aimed at intimidating foreign aid organisations.
In 2010 the Taliban claimed responsibility for carrying out attacks on the same organisation.
The minister said Helsinki will continue to offer development aid to Afghanistan as usual, despite a waning presence of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) there.
Haavisto pointed out that Finland has not cut its annual EUR 20 million development aid to Afghanistan, although Norway, for instance, has reduced its development aid to the country.
Norway decided to reduce its annual development aid to Afghanistan for what it termed lack of effort to combat violence against women and corruption.
According to Haavisto, the country’s development is essential and after inauguration of a new president it can be agreed how the transfer of security responsibilities to Afghans themselves can be achieved.
Haavisto, however, agreed that it will be difficult to continue with the aid work, if the security situation deteriorates.
“The risk is that, if the overall security situation there deteriorates also this civil side, it will be difficult to continue,” said Haavisto.
According to the Finnish embassy in Kabul, there are currently about 200 Finns in Afghanistan.
Ari Mäki, ambassador of Finland to Afghanistan, however, said not every Finnish citizen informs the embassy of their presence in the country.
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