Showing posts with label development-news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label development-news. Show all posts

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Economy, Development, and Humanitarian News




Slow Progress in Badghis. Officials in this northwestern province of Afghanistan are warning that there will likely be public protests if there is no significant progress on a number of long-delayed development schemes. There is a lack of safe drinking water and reliable electricity. Read "Anger Over Slow Progress in Afghan Province", Institute for War & Peace Reporting, March 19, 2018.

Badakhshan Mines. The lapis mines of this area of Afghanistan is one of the richest assets of the Afghan people but the Taliban and other crime groups are the organizations receiving benefit from the mining of these gems. Read more in "Gemstone Smuggler Says Badakhshan Mines Out of Govt Control", Tolo News, March 21, 2018.


Sunday, March 18, 2018

Economic, Development, and NGO News




NGO Meeting in Kabul.  A meeting was held presided by the Afghan government with representatives from Non-Governmental Organizations that work in Afghanistan. The conference was held to evaluate NGOs work in Afghanistan in terms of helping with economic development and poverty alleviation. President Ghani said that NGOs have not always implemented projects in an effective manner. He is stressing more interaction and cooperation with the Afghan government. Read more in "Ghani Says NGOs Will Have to Report to Govt", Tolo News, March 12, 2018. See also "Abdullah Wraps up Two-Day NGO Conference in Kabul", Tolo News, March 13, 2018.

Nimruz Water Project. The residentes of Nimruz have high hopes about the dramatic differences a major dam project will have on life in the semi-arid province. Safiullah Amiri writes "Hopes Overflow for Afghan Water Project", Institute for War and Peace Reporting, March 18, 2018.

Pipeline Hopes. The TAPI project was first proposed in 1995 in an attempt to get Central Asian energy to markets in South Asia. However, once the Taliban took power the venture was dropped. Since 2001, with the demise of the Taliban regime, efforts have been made to revive the project. Hopefully the TAPI project will bring increased prosperity to Afghanistan, improve Afghan's confidence in its government, and play a part in reducing insecurity. "A Pipeline for Landlocked Afghanistan: Can It Help Deliver Peace?", The Asia Foundation, March 14, 2018.


Sunday, March 11, 2018

Development and Economic News about Afghanistan




Fiber-Optic Line. The Afghan Ministry of Communication and IT (MCIT) says that a fiber optic cable line streaming an Internet connection from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan is expected to run alongside the TAPI pipeline. (Tolo News, Mar 5, 2018).

India, Development, and Afghanistan. India has played a responsible role in Afghan economic development according to Alice Wells - the Acting Assistant Secretary of State of South and Central Asian Affairs. (The New Indian Express, Mar 10, 2018).

JHOC Taught by USAID. The United State Agency for International Development held a two-day course for U.S. military members at Bagram AF in January. The Joint Humanitarian Operations Course (JHOC) helps prepare military leaders and planners to work collaboratively with civilian agencies during international disaster relief and humanitarian assistance operations. Read "On Standby: Preparing the U.S. military in Afghanistan for humanitarian operations", Resolute Support, March 2018.


Sunday, March 4, 2018

Development and Economic News about Afghanistan




Lapis Lazuli Route. A planned transit corridor is expected to play a significant role in the growth of Afghanistan's economy. The Lapis Lazuli Route will connect Afghanistan with Central Asia and beyond into Turkey and Europe. (Tolo News, Feb 28, 2018).

Central Asian Railroad Could Benefit Afghanistan. Uzbekistan has repaired a section for railway that links it to southern Tajikistan. Rail service could resume in March 2018. In theory, this could also enable increased trade with Afghanistan. (Eurasia.net, Feb 28, 2018).

Greenhouses in Afghanistan. The use of plastic and bamboo can help an Afghan farmer transition from poppies to high-end cash crops like grapes, walnuts,apples and almonds. Read more in "How Greenhouses are Warming Afghanistan up to Peace", MSN News, March 2, 2018.

Mining in Afghanistan - It's Complicated. News reports indicate that a few American firms are looking at having a role in developing the coal mining industry in Afghanistan. This is seen by some observers as something that would bring benefits to the local community and that is an economic venture unlikely to be vulnerable to the Taliban. Catherine Putz looks at the history of mining and concludes that coal mining by Americans probably wouldn't work out so well. Read "Why the Americans Shouldn't Dig for Coal in Afghanistan", The Diplomat, February 28, 2018.


Sunday, February 25, 2018

Development and Economic News



TAPI: A Milestone in Country's Economic Development. The start of the construction of the Afghanistan section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline in Herat province holds great promise for the country. (Tolo News, Feb 22, 2018).

Water Security. One of the constant irritants in the relationship between Iran and Afghanistan centers along the water that makes its way into Iran from Afghanistan. Read more in "Can Iran and Afghanistan cooperate to bring an oasis back from the dead?", Science Magazine, February 21, 2018.


Sunday, February 18, 2018

Development & Economic News - Afghanistan



Railway Corridor. The Afghanistan National Railway Authority (ANRA) says that a report for the establishment of 880 klics of railway line is 50% complete. The railway system will connect five countries in the region. Read "Five Nations Railway Corridor to Power Regional  Economies", Tolo News, February 15, 2018. The rail system in Afghanistan is very undeveloped; read more about railroads in Afghanistan.

U.S. Aid to Afghanistan Needed. The Borgen Project aims to ensure U.S. foreign policy ensures the providing of aid to humanitarian needs of impoverished countries. Read "How the US Benefits from Foreign Aid to Afghanistan", Borgen Magazine, February 14, 2018.

Squandering of Afghan Mineral Resources. Afghanistan has lots of mineral resources that are not being leveraged properly. Read "Riches Lie Below the Surface in Afghan Province", Institute for War & Peace Reporting, February 12, 2018.

Herat Cleared of Mines. Using United Kingdom funding HALO Trust says that Herat province is now cleared of minefields. The effort started in 2008. Certainly good news for the farmers working in the fields. (Gandhara, Feb 16, 2018).

Illegal Mining in Afghanistan. Mohammad Ismail Amin writes about the mining industry in "Illegal Mining: Headache for Afghanistan Government, International and Local Investors", Eurasia Review, February 12, 2018.


Sunday, February 11, 2018

Afghan Development & Economic News

Afghan Marble Mine in Herat
(Photo by Melissa Skorka, ISAF CAAT, 2013)

Afghan Mineral Development. Afghanistan is reach in natural resources to include extensive deposits of minerals. However, One shouldn't Count Your Rocks Before Their Mined!  A report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has provided 20 pages of information about the abundance of mineral resources and the problems encountered in turning this resource into a productive source of revenue. See Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, SIGAR, January 30, 2018, pages 1-20. www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2018-01-30qr.pdf

Developing Afghanistan's Coal Industry. There appears to be some progress in the coal mining sector of Afghanistan. Read "Afghanistan, US Companies Working on Afghan Coal Deal", Voice of America, February 2, 2018.

Looting of Afghanistan's Mineral Resources. A 2017 report describes the criminal activity involved in the mineral resources economic sector of Afghanistan. Read "Industrial-Scale Looting of Afghanistan's Mineral Resources", by William Byrd and Javed Noorani, United States Institute for Peace (USIP),  May 30, 2017.

Indonesia - Afghanistan Air Corridor? The Afghan Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MoCI) said that the two countries have talked about opening an air corridor. This would allow Afghan traders to export dried and fresh fruits, carpets, and medicinal herbs to Indonesia. There is an existing air corridor with India - and attempts are in the works to open one up with Kazakhstan and other countries as well. (Tolo News, Feb 6,2018).

Northern Afghanistan DDA's Get New Facilities. The Afghan-German Cooperation has built 13 new administrative buildings and three conference rooms for District Development Assemblies (DDAs) in Badakhshan, Baglan, Kunduz, and Takhar. The German Stabilisation Programme Northern Afghanistan SPNA financed the new facilities. Deutshe Zusammenarbett, February 2, 2018.

CDCS. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is developing its new Country Development and Cooperation Strategy for Afghanistan. Implementation date is likely to be mid-2018.

For more info see development in Afghanistan.


Sunday, July 30, 2017

Development News for Afghanistan

Solar Power Water Pumps (USAID photo)

Solar Energy & Education.
 USAID is helping schools and farmers across Afghanistan to be equipped with electricity. Read more in "Solar Energy Advances Education in Afghanistan", May 2017, USAID.

Illegal Extraction of Minerals. Most mineral extraction in Afghanistan is either illegal or unregulated. This contributes to conflict by inducing competition over access to mining profits and financing the insurgents and criminal networks. It also deprives the Afghan government of needed revenue to run its operations. However, mining also has the potential to make significant contributions to Afghanistan's economy. Read more in a paper entitled Illegal Extraction of Minerals as a Driver of Conflict in Afghanistan, United States Institute of Peace (USIP), July 24, 2017.

Untapped Wealth. There is a reason that Afghanistan's resource wealth remains untapped. Read "Afghanistan: All That Glitters Is Not Gold", The Diplomat, July 27, 2017.

Technology and Education. Claire Anderson writes about the importance of technology in advancing the educational system in Afghanistan. Read "Can Technology Change the Education Landscape in Afghanistan?", The Asia Foundation, July 26, 2017.


Sunday, June 18, 2017

Development News


$520 Million from World Bank. A multi-million dollar package of funding for projects is to be used to assist Afghanistan's economy, build critical infrastructure, and support Afghan refugees sent back from Pakistan. Donor money is being provided by a number of countries to include Denmark, Germany, and Japan. The largest chunk of money will assist the refugees. Read more in "World Bank Gives Afghanistan $520 Million to Help Refugees, Boost Economy", Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, June 14, 2016.

Development Projects in Limbo. Hundreds of development projects are on hold, stalled, or not yet begun for a variety of reasons. Only 15% of annual budget for 2017 spent in first six months. Read more in "Hundreds of Development Projects Remain in Limbo", Tolo News, June 17,2017.

Afghan Mining Company Owner Indicted by U.S. The owner of a mining company in Afghanistan - which is no longer in business - has been indicted on charges of defrauding the U.S. government and defaulting on a loan of almost $16 million. He was arrested at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on June 13, 2017. The loan was for the development, maintenance, and operation of a marble mine in western Afghanistan. Seems he thought it was a good idea to transfer the money into his personal bank account and default on the loan. I wonder how many times this has happened over the years in Afghanistan? Read more in "US Indicts Owner of Afghan Mining Company for Defrauding Government", Voice of America, June 17, 2017. Read more about the Afghan marble industry in western Afghanistan.


Sunday, November 6, 2016

Afghan Development News

$$$ for Crop Diversification. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Union (EU) are providing $76 million in grants to enhance crop diversification and food security in Afghanistan. The intent is to improve irrigated agriculture in the Panj-Amu River Basin. The project will improve water availability for irrigated agriculture through better water distribution and management. Read a news release posted by the European Union External Action on November 2, 2016.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Heart of Asia Conference - Dec 2016

The Heart of Asia (HoA) conference will be held in December. Over 14 nations across the Central and South Asian region will participate. This conference is of extreme importance to Afghanistan - a nation struggling with a downturn of its economy, development challenges, and deteriorating security situation. Central to the conference will be the extent to which India will continue to increase its economic aid to Afghanistan . . . and, of course, how many obstacles Pakistan will place in the way of real progress. Read more in "Why India must go all out for a stable Kabul", Observer Research Foundation, October 28, 2016.

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Afghanistan Development News

Aid Successes in Afghanistan. A short news report cites the successes in development aid that have taken place in Afghanistan despite the severe deterioration in security. Read "Aid successes in Afghanistan: Schools, hospitals and roads", Europe Online Magazine, October 5, 2016.

Govt of Canada Funding Help for Women & Girls. The humanitarian group called War Child Canada has announced that it will receive $14.5M from the Government of Canada to enhance women and girl's rights and for the protection of children in Afghanistan. War Child Canada has been working in Afghanistan for over a decade. Read more in a news report by the Edmonton Journal, October 4, 2016.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Development News

Afghanistan and the WTO. In December 2015 it was decided that Afghanistan could join the World Trade Organization. This should have some benefits to the Afghan economy over the next few years to include an increase in employment (possibly 10%) and a 1.5 percent boost in Afghanistan's gross domestic product. However, there are many issues to consider and resolve in this complex situation. Read more in "Aid and trade: Afghanistan's long road to WTO accession", Devex Impact (USAID), February 15, 2016.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Development and Economy

Lessons Learned - Stability Opns in Afghanistan. Charles Barham, a retired U.S. Army Colonel, continued service to his country by working as a civilian in the Af/Pak Hands Program. He concentrated on development and stability issues and offers his observations in "Stability Operations: Lessons from Afghanistan"Small Wars Journal, February 11, 2016.

Riving the Economy. William Byrd says that ". . . reviving the Afghan economy during a time of intensifying violent conflict, declining external financial aid, and ongoing political uncertainty and dysfunction will be extremely challenging." His report proposes some targeted, near-term measures to increase confidence and stimulate the economy. Read What Can Be Done to Revive Afghanistan's Economy?, United States Institute of Peace (USIP), February 9, 2016.

IMF Report on Afghanistan. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has issued a report (Feb 11, 2016) entitled Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: Ex Post Assessment of Longer-Term Program Engagement.

Paper - Economy, Education & Health. The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has published a 93-page paper entitled The Political Economy of Education and Health Service Delivery, dated January 2016.

Way Forward for Economy. The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) says that unemployment and lack of economic opportunity are frequently cited by Afghan citizens as a number one problem in Afghanistan. CIPE has launched local economic programs that will be of benefit to several provinces by encouraging economic growth. Read about the Provincial Business Agendas (PBAs) established by CIPE in "A Way Forward for Afghanistan's Economy", CIPE Development Blog, February 8, 2016.

Cities are the Future. According to one report Afghanistan's future is urban with its cities population doubling in the next 15 years. Read State of Afghan Cities Report 2015, by UN Habitat, Feb 2016.

Silk Road, Development, and Afghanistan. China has some long-range and robust plans for its "Silk Road". Plans (including a maritime component) are to link existing and future rail and road links from China through Central Asia to the Middle East and Europe. For this to happen the region must see a level of security and stability (Afghanistan stands out here). Read more in "China's Silk Road: How China is Building the Biggest Commercial-Military Empire in History", Offiziere.ch, February 2, 2016.

Foreign Investment Drops. The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) said that there is danger of an economic recession if the government does not take steps to tackle the decline in foreign investment in the country. Read "Afghan Economy Trembles Amid Foreign Investment Decline: ACCI"Tolo News, February 12, 2016.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Development News

Saffron Pipeline. A bunch of Afghan veterans (who are also Harvard grads) are making it easier for Afghan farmers to export Saffron. (DNAinfo, Oct 2, 2015). Rumi Spice is a social enterprise that provides high-quality, sustainably farmed saffron to global markets by sourcing directly from rural Afghanistan farmers in an economic partnership. Read more about Rumi Spice and their venture at their website. I tried their products and like it. Also got a t-shirt from them! www.rumispice.com

Polio and Bill Gates. The co-founder of Microsoft (a man with deep pockets) wants the Afghan government to put more effort into the eradication of polio in Afghanistan. Read more in a news report. (Khaama Press, Sep 27, 2015).

Video - Stabilizing Rural Communities. Intrepid TV traveled to Afghanistan to film diary farmers near the Pakistan border. The International Fund for Agricultural Development, a specialized agency of the United Nations, is interested in how local dairy cooperatives were enabling farmers to make more money but also helping to stabilise the local community.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhh2ZKJxwH4

Life in the Hills Surrounding Kabul. While the busy streets of Kabul bustle with vendors and are clogged up with vehicles of all kinds people living in some of the hills above the city are living in poverty. Read more in "The Uphill Struggle of Life on Kabul's Periphery", Gandhara Blog, September 27, 2015.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Development News

RECCA and Silk Road. Afghanistan hosted the sixth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan - RECCA VI- in Kabul. Afghanistan can benefit through forward-looking objectives geared towards regional economic integration. The country will reap rewards if it can capitalize on its natural role as the Asian transit and trade roundabout connecting the various countries in Central Asia, South Asia, and other regions to each other through trade. There are many initiatives that will aid in developing these trade routes to include the Silk Road projects by various countries in the region. Read more in "The Silk Road Through Afghanistan", by M. Ashraf Haidari in Foreign Policy, September 2, 2015.

Mining Sector Plagued by Corruption. In an unsurprising report two anti-corruption organizations accused the Afghan government of failing to take action to protect it's mining sector from graft and corruption. (U.S. News & World Report, Sep 6, 2015).

Afghan Reconstruction. Liana Barcia writes about how reconstruction in Afghanistan is a strategic balancing act in a news report. (Devex.com,  Sep 7, 2015).

Food Insecurity. The number of people in Afghanistan resorting to selling land or turning to friends or family for help because of food insecurity has doubled in the last year according to a joint report released by the United Nations and partner agencies. (UN News Centre, Sep 10, 2015).

Airfield Economic Transition. The American Chamber of commerce in Afghanistan, in partnership with the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA), Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan and the U.S. Department of Commerce will promoting opportunities for the private sector to acquire key military airbase properties and assets including warehouses, hangars, cold storage facilities, offices, residences, fuel depots, maintenance facilities and many more. Watch a 2 minute video entitled "Airfield Economic Transition", by Resolute Support posted on YouTube.com, September 10, 2015.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQbL7PlN5zk

Afghan Airspace Management Capacity Improves? The Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA) has up to now had a difficult time in taking over control of the airspace in Afghanistan. It would seem that now the wrinkles are ironed out - at least if we are to believe a news release by Resolute Support headquarters. Hmmmmm. Is it actual progress or just more 'spin'? Time will tell. Read "Afghanistan enhances airspace management capacity", DVIDS, September 12, 2015.

$200 Million for Afghan Power Grid. A number of nations are contributing a total of $200 million to the Afghanistan Infrastructure Trust Fund (AITF) that will go to the completion of a national grid that will benefit millions of Afghans and help reduce the power costs of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). Currently most of the ANA facilities are powered by gas generators - a costly way of providing power. Hopefully that will change in the future - at least we might see less corruption if the requirement for fuel drops. Read more in "NATO allies, partners commit $200 million to help power ANDSF", DVIDS, September 10, 2015. Listen to MG Todd Semonite, CG of Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A) explain the importance of this project in a short video posted by RS HQs on DVIDS on September 12, 2015; narrated by Capt. Sudan Harrington..

OpEd on Diplomatic Ties Needed for Economic Advances. "The geopolitical location of Afghanistan is quite promising, given it can bridge the world over with . . . " Central Asia, China, India, and Pakistan. It stands at a crossroads for trade. Part of this promise is the normalization of relations between India and Pakistan. Read more in "Regional Friendly Ties Earn Economic Riches", Daily Outlook Afghanistan, September 12, 2015.

UNOPS and Development Training. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations. It supports the successful implementation of its partner's peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. It is very active in Afghanistan. UNOPS offers training programs in Afghanistan. Read of one trainee who is participating in a 60-day training event under the capacity building component of the Rural Access Improvement Project in "A rising civil servant in Mazar, Afghanistan", UNOPS, July 29, 2015.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Development News

Photos - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). "Since 2002 UNEP has played a key role in laying the foundations for sustainable development in Afghanistan, working with the government and other stakeholders to overcome serious land and resource degradation. UNEP's Disasters and Conflicts programme seeks to minimize environmental threats to human well-being from the environmental causes and consequences of conflicts and disasters." View the photos at this link on flickr www.flickr.com/photos/unep_dc/sets/72157632850536773 and learn more about the UNEP Disasters and Conflicts programme at this link www.unep.org/disastersandconflicts/.

RECCA Conference. "Representatives of more than 30 nations and 40 international organizations have gathered in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, to discuss the country's future." During the conference, called the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan or RECCA, participants debated a range of economic issues - including trade, customs, and border procedures. Read more in "Kabul Hosts Regional Economic Conference", Radio Free Europe, September 3, 2015. Visit the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) webpage on RECCA. Read also "Capacity Remains One of Afghanistan's Biggest Obstacles", The Diplomat, September 3, 2015.

Non-Traditional Education Supported by USAID. "A joint initiative by Afghanistan's Ministry of Education, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and United Nations International Children's Emergency fund (UNICEF) is to start the non-traditional education in rural areas in the country". This is a five-year long program with a budget of $75 million that will be administered in non-formal classrooms in 13 provinces of Afghanistan. Read a news report about this in Khaama News,  August 30, 2015.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Development News

Paper on Economic Management in Afghanistan. Afghanistan's economy remains weak and its fiscal situation dire. A new paper for the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) by William A. Byrd provides some thoughts on how the international community should approach the Afghan economy. Byrd is a senior expert at the US Institute of Peace where he has been working on Afghanistan since April 2012. From 2002 to 2006 he was stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan where he served as the World Bank's country manager for Afghanistan and then as economic advisor. Read AAN's introduction to his paper. You can read online or download the full paper posted on the AAN website.
Economic Management in Afghanistan: What worked, what didn't, and why, August 2015.

Humanitarian Situation in Faryab Province. A top United Nations official has met with provincial officials in Faryab to assess the humanitarian situation of the conflict-ridden population. Read more in a news update by UNAMA.

USAID and the Kajaki Dam. USAID has provided a photo update report of the installation of Turbine Generator Unit 2 at the Kajaki Dam Hydropower Plant in southern Afghanistan. Photos are posted on flickr.com. (no date given).

Paper on American Foreign Aid & Foreign Policy in Afghanistan. Anders Nandrup Rylander has wrote his Master thesis on this topic. He attempts to develop a better understanding of the relationship between American foreign aid, policy, and traditions by examining American actions in this sector for the years 2007-2012. Posted August 2015 on website of University of Oslo.
www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/44857

USAID Funded Assistance for Deaf Afghans. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided funding for a program that helps deaf Afghans communicate via the Internet. Read Deaf, But Not Silenced in Afghanistan, USAID, August 2015.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Development News

Four Reforms Necessary for Afghanistan's Economy. According to one observer Afghanistan's economy will be able to stand on its own feet if the Afghan government begins with four reforms. The author, Dr. Mohammad Hotak,is the president of the British-Afghan Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Read "From Aid to Trade", Foreign Policy, August 19, 2015.

Quality of Girl's Education in Afghanistan. Arne Strand examines the state of girls education in "Expanding and improving the quality of girls' education in Afghanistan"Brookings Institute, August 19, 2015.

Is IRD on the Upbound? The International Relief and Development (IRD) firm has had a tough year but that might be over. Once the darling of USAID in Afghanistan it fell under investigation and for a while was barred from USAID contracts. But now it appears the firm is back in business. Read "IRD's return from the brink", DEVEX, August 20, 2015.

Teacher & Education Crisis in Afg. Two writers have penned a paper about a teacher crisis and the quality of education in Afghanistan. Read "Too Few, Badly Paid, and Unmotivated", Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), August 22, 2015.

Is a "Special Representative" of the UN needed for Aid Workers? A recent news report by IRIN (Aug 18, 2015) informs us of a movement for the establishment of a United Nations Special Representative to advance the safety of humanitarian workers around the globe. Read "On World Humanitarian Day, a new idea to protect aid workers".

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Development News

Report on Canada's Afghanistan Development Program. The Canadian government hired the Dutch company Ecorys Netherlands in 2013 to conduct an evaluation of the Canadian development program in Afghanistan. The report was completed in the spring of 2015 and is posted online. The report suggests that the Canadian mission lacked a clear vision and failed to fully grasp the origins of the conflict in Afghanistan. Read more in "Early Afghanistan development mission lacked focus, report finds", iPolitics, August 10, 2015.

Paper on Development and Conflict. Todd Diamond, a development analyst and practitioner with more that 20 years of experience, provides us with his thoughts on the role of development in conflicts (pre-, during, and post-). Read "Development Challenges and Tools in Conflict Environments", Fletcher Security Review, August 3, 2015.

Underutilized Power Plant built by USAID. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) published a letter on August 13 highlighting its concerns about the Tarakhil Power Plant located outside of Kabul. Although the power plant is supposed to be a vital component of the electrical grid serving Kabul it appears that this $335 million power plant continues to be severely underutilized - even in the midst of very bad power shortages in Kabul. The plant is operating at 1 % of its capacity over the past year. Read the SIGAR letter.