Showing posts with label foreign-aid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foreign-aid. Show all posts

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Aid for Afghanistan? Will it continue?

A commentator presents his thoughts on the withdrawal of ISAF from Afghanistan, the utility of providing aid to Afghanistan after 2014, how ISIS has diverted the attention of the world from Afghanistan (as did the 2003 Iraq invasion), the significance of the signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement and the Afghan elections, the linkage of security and development within a counterinsurgency model, and the differences in the framework of aid provided by the European Union and the United States. Read more in "Assisting Afghanistan: Will Aid Progress, Adapt, or Wither?", by James Flint, E-International Relations, November 4, 2014.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Donor Fatigue for Afghanistan

The international community has pumped billions of dollars into Afghanistan to support security, development, governance, and social services since 2001. In December 2014 the British government will host another international donors conference for Afghanistan in London. The representatives of the many governments will discuss and present their countries plans for the continuance of foreign aid to Afghanistan. One of the primary topics will be corruption and how to institute oversight processes that will reduce the corruption so that the aid will reach its intended recipient. Another huge subject will be the reduced amounts of aid to be provided; the attention of western nations is being diverted elsewhere to trouble spots in the Middle East, Africa, and eastern Europe.

Tamim Asey is a fellow at the Asia Society and a Fulbright scholar at Columbia University. He was also a former government of Afghanistan official and taught at the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF). He provides us with some insight and analysis of the donor fatigue that Afghanistan has to contend with at the upcoming December 2014 international donor conference and in the long months ahead. Read "The Other Drawdown - Why Donor Fatigue is Threatening to Derail Afghanistan", The South Asia Channel - Foreign Policy, November 10, 2014.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Istanbul Ministerial Process Needs Boost

In late October 2014 China hosted the "Heart of Asia" ministerial conference in the framework of the "Istanbul Process". Started in 2011, the Istanbul Process is a multilateral vehicle led by Afghanistan with the objective to facilitate Afghanistan's reconstruction and security through inter-regional collaboration. The forum places Afghanistan at the center of the discussions providing a venue for advancing its needs and concerns. The Istanbul Process provides an avenue for continuous and effective dialogue within the region and emphasizes the importance of regional organizations. However, the process is having some difficulties.

Read more in "Afghanistan - The Istanbul Process in urgent need of more devotion: expert comment", Swedish Wire, November 4, 2014.

More info on the Istanbul Process is available at:

"Istanbul Process", by Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_Process

"Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process", Afghan Government
www.heartofasia-istanbulprocess.af

"Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process", Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/HeartofAsia.ip

"U.S. Support for the Istanbul Process", U.S. Department of State
www.state.gov/p/sca/rls/fs/2013/208560.htm

"Istanbul Process", Afghan War News
www.afghanwarnews.info/development/istanbul-process.htm


Monday, November 10, 2014

Norway Pledges $110 Million in Annual Aid

The country of Norway, a long-time participant in the Afghan conflict and provider of foreign aid, has pledged $110 million for Afghanistan in 2015. The Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende visited Afghanistan on Saturday and met with President Ghani, CEO Abdullah, and the acting foreign minister Zarar Ahmad Osmani. The money is for civilian and military aid. Source - "Norway pledges $110 million in annual aid to Afghanistan", Khaama Press, November 9, 2014.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Afghanistan to Remain Dependent on West

Afghanistan will not be able to fund the security forces that are needed to quell the insurgency - the international community will have to foot much of that bill. The Afghan government yearly budget is about $7.6 billion. International donors provide 65% of that amount. Read more in "Op-Ed: Afghanistan to remain western-funded client state", Digital Journal, by Ken Hanly, October 28, 2014.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Senate Report - Aid to Afghainstan

The United States Senate will be supporting Afghanistan's future with billions of dollars but the aid is tied to human rights reforms and closer oversight on how Afghanistan spends its money. The United States is expected to provide between $5 and $8 billion annually for at least a decade. Read more in "Senate report outlines plan to keep tens of billions of dollars flowing to Afghanistan", The Washington Post, October 25, 2014.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Dev Aid as Negotiating Tool for BSA Signing

Karzai continues to stonewall the United States on the signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement. He insists that the signing will take place with the new president of Afghanistan who will be elected in the April 2014 elections. One writer thinks we should force Karzai's hand by putting a freeze on development and aid funds going into Kabul's coffers until the Bilateral Security Agreement is signed. The writer also thinks we need to 'track' the money to ensure it is spent on the intended purpose and to attach some 'conditionality'. He provides some recommendations that merit consideration. In addition to the conditionality, he recommends increasing funding through Afghan systems (isn't this part of the problem?), spending only where there already is security, consolidate donor funds, providing more assistance directly to the provinces, focus on fiscal sustainability, unleash the private sector, and get tough on corruption. Read "Changing the Game in Afghanistan", War on the Rocks, January 22, 2014.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Funding for Afghan Military Reduced by U.S. Congress

The White House asked for an extra $2.6 billion dollars - over the $5.6 billion baseline request - to buy equipment and fund training for the Afghan military. However, in the recent spending bill, Congress approved only $4.7 billion to pay, equip, supply, and train the Afghan security forces. Read more in "US slashes support for Afghan troops", DEFCON Hill Blog, January 17, 2014.