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The United States' first lady, Laura Bush on Sunday, June 08, 2008 visited Afghanistan to highlight her countries steadfast commitment to Afghanistan and to President Hamid Karzai. Mrs. Bush flew by helicopter deep into central Afghanistan for the one-day visit. Her visit assumes importance as concern has been growing particularly in the European Union and the United Nations, that Mr. Karzai might not be upto the task of addressing Afghanistan’s many economic and political problems.
The first lady of the United States, like her last two visits to the strife torn nation, emphasized her support for women’s development and educational and training projects. Mrs. Bush flew to Bamian, which is one of the poorest provinces of the country and is overseen by the country’s only female governor, Habiba Sarabi, a former minister of women’s affairs.
In the capital city Kabul, she met President Karzai as well as Afghan students and teachers. Here she announced $80 million for two American government programs in education. The visit confirms the US support to President Karzai, who will be attending the international donor’s conference in Paris next week. President Karzai is expected to ask for about $50 billion in pledges of assistance from international donors at the conference in Paris. Laura Bush stated in Afghanistan that even she would be attending the international donor’s conference. President Karzai remarked that he is confident that he will come back with some significant assistance from the international community to the Afghan people.
