Success in Afghanistan Depends on Coordination
Zalmay Khalilzad, United Nations | March 24, 2008
Most important task for the UN secretary general's new special representative for Afghanistan, Kai Eide, is to form a relationship with President Karzai. ++ UN must be the primary coordinator for all organizations in Afghanistan. ++ Military and civilian efforts need to be coordinated, Afghanistan Compact needs to be supported, and Afghanistan's neighbors need to help stabilize.
Tue, Mar 25th 2008, 07:37
Ilyas M. Mohsin, PPP, Platinum Contributor (296)
Assessment of the ground realities in Afghanistan as projected by the BBC:-
“Some $10bn (£5bn) in aid promised to Afghanistan has still to be delivered, aid organisation Oxfam has said.
It also finds that two-thirds of aid is not spent through the government and 40% goes back to donor countries in consultant fees and expatriate pay.
Oxfam says the prospects for peace in Afghanistan are being undermined because what has been donated is not being used effectively.
Oxfam carried out the report on behalf of 94 aid agencies in Afghanistan.
"Western countries are failing to deliver" is the clear message of the Oxfam report for the umbrella group Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief (Acbar).
It shows a disparity between what has been promised and what has been delivered.
And the way in which the money is used is also criticised.
'Poor security'
Different countries have different ways of spending.
Some countries channel donations through the government to help their civil service manage and decide on the funding of development programmes but two-thirds of the international aid misses out the government altogether.
America is the biggest donor by far.
But a USAid official confirmed that since 2001 it had only spent two-thirds of the money it pledged - a shortfall of $8.5bn - blaming poor security for an inability to get projects under way.
And the official said only 6% of the overall budget was spent through the Afghan government "to ensure US taxpayers' money could be accounted for" - implying a lack of trust in the government system.
Disappointment
Acbar's director said too much was being spent on short-term projects as a lever to win people over as part of the military counter-insurgency strategy, at the expense of longer-term development.
The Oxfam report points out that while the US military spends $100m a day, the average amount of aid spent by all donors combined has been just $7m a day since 2001.
The findings echo the feelings of Afghan people who had high expectations when the Taleban were removed from power.
They are now disappointed by a lack of tangible progress despite the billions of dollars they are told have been heading into the country.”
‘lack of tangible progress’ creates not only despondency, it helps the Taliban to become acceptable/ popular. The trust deficit between Karzai and the donors would only add fuel to the fire as the former is, generally, looked upon as ‘Us’ mayor of Kabul’. It appears as if ‘wait and see’ has taken over the political will of most of major actors. Mr Kai Eide or his Secretary General may have to follow suit which could mean inviting a disaster to this region resulting in a new configuration of power.