Karzai Signs Strategic Aid Agreement With Norway

Afghan president Hamid Karzai (second from right) arrives at Gardemoen Airport in Oslo on February 4.

Norway and Afghanistan have concluded a long-term strategic partnership agreement.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg signed an agreement on February 5 that will give Kabul $136 million in aid every year until 2017.

The aid comes with commitments on combating corruption.

Stoltenberg said that, while Norway winds down its military presence in Afghanistan, it would remain a partner of Kabul, which has committed itself "to promote good governance, the rule of law, human rights, transparency and democracy."

He said Oslo has "zero tolerance against corruption, that is why we are following the Norwegian [aid] money so closely."

Karzai arrived in Oslo late on February 4 from Britain, where he had been participating in trilateral talks with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari and British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Based on reporting by DPA and BBC Pashto