<p><a href="/en/afganistan/kabul" class="glossify-link">KABUL</a>): There is no guarantee of the Tokyo Conference benefitting Afghans in the absence of effective steps to tackle corruption and reform government institutions, a Cabinet minister acknowledged on Tuesday.</p>
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<p>Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal told participants of a workshop, arranged by the Afghan <a href="/en/women" class="glossify-link">Women</a>.</p>
<p>The Tokyo conference is to seek decade-long international assistance for Afghanistan’s infrastructure development projects.</p>
<p>The workshop "From Bonn to Tokyo – Afghan Women beyond 2014" was focused on good governance, accountability, peace and reintegration, long-term international commitment and equal job opportunities for men and women.</p>
<p>Zakhilwal said the government was required to take tough decisions on reforms in its departments to enable them to offer good services to the people.</p>
<p>Calling the next ten years as crucial for Afghanistan’s development, the minister said they had worked out a comprehensive plan on how to implement development policies and would seek support for the plan at the Tokyo meeting.</p>
<p>Zakhilwal said Afghanistan was about 90 percent dependent on foreign aid and national development policies needed continued international assistance.</p>
<p>United Nations Special Representative to Afghanistan Jan Kubis on occasion said the main issue to be conferred on at the Tokyo summit was the situation of Afghan women.</p>
<p>He added the Tokyo conference was very important because Afghanistan needed humanitarian assistance at a time when it was entering a new era.</p>
<p>He expressed his deep concerns over the situation of Afghan refugees in neighbouring countries, saying they needed to be provided <a href="/en/education" class="glossify-link">education</a> facilities on a priority basis. </p>
<p>Also present on the occasion was Japan’s deputy ambassador, <em>Seiji Okada, who said his country would continue to support Afghanistan in diverse fields. He hoped Afghanistan would be listed among developed and democratic nations after a decade. </em></p>
<p>On the last day of the workshop, the AWN asked the international community for long-term assistance towards development projects to help improve the capacity of Afghan women. </p>
<p>Members of the civil <a href="/en/society" class="glossify-link">society</a> group said they would present 49 proposals to the Tokyo conference through its 30 representatives.</p>
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