USAID Outlines Funding for Afghanistan

USAID has announced three new development programs to assist the Afghans as they transition from an economy dominated by aid and development programs provided by donor nations, the effects of having thousands of foreign troops stationed in the country, and the drug trade. One program provides $125 million to Afghanistan's food and farm sector, a second program with a price tag of $77 million over four years will attempt to open Afghanistan up to greater international trade and investment, and the third program worth almost $100 million will help ten Afghan universities with programs that are partnered with three U.S. universities. The U.S. Congress significantly reduced aid to Afghanistan (almost by one half) in the latest budget deal. Read more in "U.S. aid plan seeks to shield Afghanistan from end to war economy", Reuters, February 9, 2014.