Aid - Time to Rethink Delivery Mechanism?

Afghanistan is one of the most corrupt countries in the world (only Somalia and North Korea are worse). The international community, including the United Kingdom, pumped billions of dollars of humanitarian and development aid into Afghanistan over the past decade. Unfortunately, a large proportion of this aid found its way to corrupt Afghan government officials, police, and businessmen. Aid was delivered in many instances on the idea of "faith" - that the middleman (Afghan government, Afghan businessman, etc.) would carry out the provisions of the aid program as stipulated. However, much of the aid went in another direction. Cash to Dubai bank accounts, building materials for homes of government officials, and food and supplies to the Kabul markets for sale. Upon reflection, many observers are now thinking that the military is the best mechanism to distribute aid - bypassing the corrupt host nation officials that dilute the humanitarian effect. While the international aid worker community would object, many military members saw the Provisional Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) as good organizations that provided a mechanism to get aid down to the province and district level and bypassing the corrupt Kabul government officials. Read more in "Fixing aid: bypass corruption with military precision", The Conversation, November 17, 2014.

Costly Canadian Project Questioned

One of Canada's 'signature projects' in Afghanistan was the repair of irrigation canals in Kandahar province in an effort to improve the livelihoods of local farmers. The project was meant to restore water flow from the Dahla Dam by repairing a main canal and 60 secondary canals. The project has been completed but the results are less than what was hoped for. In addition, there is concern that the extensive project will slowly deteriorate as the Afghan government doesn't have the annual funds needed to keep the canal infrastructure functioning. Canada, having pulled out almost all of its personnel, will no longer be providing assistance with the irrigation project. The $50-million program was started by Canada in 2008 and was called the Arghandab Irrigation Rehabilitation Project. Read more in "Long-term future of signature Canadian project in Afghanistan at risk: report", CTV News, November 15, 2014.

TAPI Pipeline

The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan- Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline will be a 1,800 kilometer long natural gas pipeline that will export up to 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India for over 30 years. Turkmenistan has the world's fourth-largest proven gas reserves and will provide a key source of fuel for southern Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) was appointed the transaction advisor for the TAPI gas pipeline in November 2013. Read more in "Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India Establish Landmark TAPI Pipeline Company", Asian Development Bank, November 13, 2014.

Afghan's Minerals Law

Afghanistan has a new minerals law. The question is will it improve sector governance and catalyse the massive investment needed? Read more in "The new minerals law: breaking new ground for Afghanistan?", The Guardian, October 30, 2014.

Experts Skeptical of New Silk Road

The United States rolled out the New Silk Road Strategy (NSRS) a few years back as one of the ways of filling the void of a diminished United States military presence in Afghanistan. The intent was to link the Central Asian states together (along with Afghanistan) in trade in an effort to increase economic activity and strengthen economies. The outcome would provide a stronger economy for Afghanistan which would cut into the support insurgents would enjoy from the population. However there are doubts that the NSRS will work. Read more in "Following the New Silk Road", The Diplomat, October 22, 2014.

Role of Neighbors in Rebuilding Afghanistan

A recent posting by Ajay Anil Cherian posted on International Policy Digest (October 12, 2014) entitled "Rebuilding Afghanistan: The Role of Its Neighbors" provides concrete reasons why the three countries of India, China, and Pakistan should provide substantial assistance to developing and reconstructing Afghanistan.

Minerals in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is rich in copper, iron and rare minerals that are needed by the world's economy for manufacturing goods. At some point in the future, once security is established and good governance takes hold, the mining of minerals will produce a significant part of the annual revenue to run Afghanistan's government. Read more in All that Glitters in Afghanistan, Inside Science, September 10, 2014.

Remote Management of Afghan Aid Projects

Humanitarian aid organizations are looking hard at the viability of continuing aid projects in Afghanistan over the long term with the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan. As of fall 2014 most ISAF forces are either in Kabul or operating at the regional or Afghan Army Corps level; leaving no one at the provincial and district level. The level of security (now the responsibility of the Afghan security forces) has diminished throughout Afghanistan. Without the presence of international troops many aid organizations have ceased on-site management of aid projects; relying instead on remote management of projects. Unfortunately, the quality of aid goes down significantly with remote management due to inadequate monitoring, poor workmanship, and corruption. You can learn more about the challenges and risks that NGOs will face in 2015 (after the ISAF mission is complete) in Transition and Non-Government Organizations in Afghanistan: An Assessment and Prospects, by the Afghanistan Public Policy Research Organization, published in January 2014 at this link.

Aid to Afghanistan More than to Europe after WWII

A US government report has revealed that the cost of reconstruction for Afghanistan has gone beyond the cost of the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. Corruption and waste were cited as the primary reasons for this huge cost. The report says that most of the aid projects were undermined by "poor planning, shoddy construction, mechanical failures and inadequate oversight". One sector of the Afghan population that has benefited is the ruling elite. The Karzai clan has become immensely rich with properties in Dubai and elsewhere in the world. Read more in "Afghanistan has cost more to rebuild than Europe after Second World War", The Telegraph, July 31, 2014 at this link.

Whole of Government Approach in Afghanistan Questioned

A recent article in a Canadian newspaper looks at the 'whole of government' approach used by the Canadians in the Afghan conflict in the Kandahar area. It specifically looks at the activities of the Canadian Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT). Read more in "Whole of government is old wine in a new bottle", Ottawa Citizen, February 20, 2014.

USAID Explains Future Role in Afghanistan

The USAID Assistant Administrator - Larry Sampler - says that USAID will continue to be engaged in Afghanistan. Read more in "USAID in Afghanistan a long way from normal", DEVEX, February 21, 2014.

Companies Make Windfall Profits in Afghanistan

Some companies both foreign and domestic have fared very well over the past 12 years as a result of no-bid contracts provided by the U.S. government. Read more in "Windfalls of War: Companies with spotty records making billions off Afghanistan", Fox News Politics, February 20, 2014.

LPG and Rickshaws in Afghanistan

Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) is emerging in Afghanistan as an alternative fuel source for motorized vehicles in Afghanistan. LPG conversion can bring big savings and is also easier on the environment. In a city like Kabul (where the 'Kabul Crud' is prevalent) cleaner air is important. Learn more in a short video (3 mins) where the conversion of rickshaws to LPG is saving motorists a lot of money. View "The Rickshaw LPG Fuel Revolution", NATO TV on YouTube, February 19, 2014.

Dahla Dam, Kandahar ($50 Million and It Doesn't Work)

Dahla Dam, Kandahar, Afghanistan

Afghanistan is full of stories about development projects that didn't get completed or that didn't pan out the way they should have. Some of this has to do with the poor security situation where many of the projects were underway. A lot has to do with the austere conditions, lack of skilled construction laborers, poor oversight, shoddy workmanship, and corruption. One expensive project that is having trouble becoming fully functional is the providing of irrigation canals with water from the Dahla Dam in Kandahar province. This was a pet project of the Canadians (to the tune of $50 million). Unfortunately the project has some problems. The dam was built in 1952 - over 60 years ago. Canada cleared or refurbished almost 500 kilometers of irrigation canals in order to provide water for over 30,000 hectares of land. There are numerous stories of corruption, money flowing to the Taliban, illicit connections with the Karzai family, political connections determining where the water will flow, and ties to the illegal drug trade. Learn more in "Out of Afghanistan: A Legacy under construction", Ottawa Citizen, February 18, 2014. (Photo by Mark Ray, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, June 24, 2012).

USAID and the Office of Transition Initiatives in Afghanistan

One of the more successful programs of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is it's Office of Transition Initiatives in Afghanistan. OTI has just chosen the firms that will implement the vast majority of its programs through the next five years. The nine partner firms that will assist USAID in the implementation of the development contracts include AECOM, Casals and Associates, Chemonics International, Creative Associates International, DAI, International Relief and Development, International Resources Group/Engility, Management Systems International, and RTI International. Read more on this topic in "USAID's audacious transition initiatives finds partners", devex.com, February 14, 2014.

Irrigation Canal Provides Prosperity for Two Districts in Panjshir Valley

Two communities in the Panjshir Valley located north of Kabul in Panjshir province are benefiting from combining their resources and working through their respective Community Development Councils (CDCs) to build a government-funded irrigation canal. The farmers should be able to double their agricultural output with the new canal. The funding was provided by international donors through the National Solidarity Program (NSP). The NSP is a function of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) and supported by the World Bank and Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). The funded program encourages local governance and development through small-scale infrastructure initiatives. Read more in "Irrigation Canal Unites Two Communities", World Bank, February 10, 2014.

Congress Cuts Military and Development Aid for Afghanistan

Congress has cut military and development aid for Afghanistan. The reduction in money is something that happened quietly without a lot of discussion in Congress and no opposition from the Obama administration. Our general officers are strangely quiet as well (do they know it is a losing battle or have they too given up on the Afghans?). Development aid was cut in half and the military saw some significant cuts as well. This could be war fatigue, disappointment in the rampart corruption in the Afghan government, or displeasure with Karzai's antics in regard to his not signing the Bilateral Security Agreement. Read more in "Congress cuts U.S. military and development aid for Afghanistan", The Washington Post, January 24, 2014.

Congress Cuts Development Aid for Afghanistan by 50%

Congress has cut development aid to Afghanistan by 50%. In the massive spending bill signed into law the lawmakers provided $1.2 billion for fiscal 2014 for civilian assistance. Congress is less than happy with the performance of the Department of State and USAID in the management of funds. In addition, the gross corruption of the Afghan government and the erratic and irritating behavior of President Karzai has many feeling like it is time to pull the plug on financial assistance. Read more in "U.S. eyes options for Afghanistan after Congress cuts aid", Reuters, January 21, 2014.

Kajaki Dam Project Continues to Have Problems

Photo by Karla Marshal, 2012

The Kajaki Dam in Helmand province, Afghanistan continues to be a symbol of the United States government's failed attempts to complete major projects involving millions of dollars and to provide proper oversight on the money that flows into Afghan hands to fund these projects. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) is currently looking hard at the Kajaki Dam project. This dam has continued to be a problem area do to lack of security, delayed construction, and improper management. The current issue is that another $75 million is being pumped into this project to install an additional turbine at the site but the U.S. will have a lack of access to the site and very little vetting power over the project as the money has been handed over to the Afghans with very little strings attached. The Kajaki Dam was originally built in the 1950s by the United States. The third turbine was initially budgeted for $18 million and to be installed in 2005 but never completed. Now USAID has decided to spend an additional $75 million on the project and turn over completion of the project to the Afghans. Read more in "US watchdog issues alert over Afghan dam project oversight", Stars and Stripes, January 8, 2014. You can read the SIGAR letter to the USAID Mission Director in Afghanistan here.

India Interested in Afghan Hajigak Iron Ore Mines

India may soon sign a contract with the Afghan government for the development of the Hajigak iron ore mines. The deal was offered to a consortium led by the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) a few years back. Read more in "Afghanistan keen to ink mining contract with India", SME Times, December 24, 2013.