Foreign Aid in Afghanistan

Question 1

Afghanistan

Answer 1

• Country in the Middle-East

Question 2

Foreign Aid in Afghanistan

Answer 2

• Over the past 10 years, Afghanistan has been one of the world’s main recipients of foreign aid.
• According to the Afghan government, by 2012 a total of $57bn in aid was spent in the country since the start of the US-led invasion in 2001.
• The US govt. estimates that it has provided over $100bn.

Question 3

Why does Afghanistan need so much aid?

Answer 3

• OVER 30 YEARS OF CONFLICT
• 10 year Soviet Afghan war (1979-1989)
• Afghan civil war (1989-2001) - Taliban against Afghan government
• US led war in Afghanistan (2001-2014) - there is still conflict between Taliban and Afghan civil forces and US forces at the moment
• Aid needed becauses continued periods of war and low levels of economic development and quality of life across country
• Conflict reduces economic development, increases threats to people (diseases, food shortages, lack of economic productivity, poor infrastructure)
• Foreign Aid also needed to support new Afghan government
• Foreign Aid was used as a tool to achieve US political aims of making itself safer by not providing a home for terrorism

Question 4

Development Indicators in Afghanistan: Aid = progress?

Answer 4

In 1980
- Afghanistan’s GDP was at 2000 dollars per capita
- Life expectancy at 44 years
- After 10 years of conflict and 20 years of aid since…
In 2019
- Still one of the lowest life expectancies in the world
- In terms of asian countries, Afghanistan has one of the lowest GDP in world
- Afghanistan has gone backwards in terms of economic development from where it was in 1980

• Paints one picture of how difficult it is to provide effective aid targeted at improving economy of the country

Question 5

Case for success of Foreign Aid in Afghanistan

Answer 5

When US invaded in 2001, initially, there was a negative impact on GDP compared to 2000

• Since then, after given aid by the US, there was a significant increase in life expectancy and GDP
• In 2019, life expectancy increased from 55 to 64
• GD per capita has risen from about $750 per person up to $1800 per person
• So we can say that throughout the period there have been positive impacts

Question 6

Case for failure of Foreign Aid in Afghanistan

Answer 6

• While there have been improvements in life expectancy and GDP, Afghanistan is still one of the poorest and lowest life expectancies in the world
• Poorest asian country
• 2nd lowest life expectancy across Asia
• Foreign aid hasn’t been as effective as could have been

Question 7

Challenges of Aid in Afghanistan

Answer 7

• The climate and topography of Afghanistan is overall very hostile, which increases the likelihood of ‘shocks’ to the mainly agricultural population (drought, food shortages), meaning that further aid is required.
• The country is large, underdeveloped and mostly rural, and therefore infrastructure provision is incredibly poor. This makes coordinating and delivering aid extremely challenging.
• The conflict between the Afghan Government and the Taliban continues to rage, with large areas of the country under Taliban control. This means that aid cannot be delivered to large areas of the country.
• The Government is young and inexperienced (only been there for around 15 years. There may not be the ability or accountability to distribute aid.
• Afghanistan is 177 / 180 on Transparency International’s Corruption perception index.

Question 8

Foreign Aid in Afghanistan - Empowering Afghanistan

Answer 8

• National Solidarity Programme, run by Afghan Government (working with local communities) with funding from other international donors.
• Works with and elects local community development councils who decide what their own development and infrastructure needs are.
• Funding is provided for common community infrastructure such as roads, water systems, schools and clinics.
• Since 2003, more than $930 million has been development. 22,000 LCDCs established, 32,000 projects have been delivered.
• Key is that the scheme connects local communities with their government and aid donors. Local communities are empowered and aid is used according to their needs

Question 9

Foreign Aid in Afghanistan - Life beyond poppies

Answer 9

• Focused on eliminating poppy growth
• Not only does this allow farmers to take crops to the market for stable and competitive price, it means that poppies aren’t a tempting choice and it means that it should be starving the Taliban of funds
• Two pronged approach to aid - also tries to reduce conflict
• 90% of the world’s opium produced in Afghanistan
• Agricultural High School funded by international donors provides training in modern farming techniques to increase yields and show farmers there are other choices than opium.
• 100,000 farmers have received seeds for alternative crops. Poppy growth reduced year on year in Helmand (33% in 2009, 7% 2010).

Question 10

Criticisms of “empowering Afghanistan”

Answer 10

This is small scale, and doesn’t look at whole country

Question 11

Criticisms of “Life beyond poppies”

Answer 11

• It hasn’t stopped the conflict

- Hasn’t stopped the Taliban from growing opium and Taliban is still getting money from it

Question 12

The main positive impacts of Aid in Afghanistan

Answer 12

• Aid, through schemes such as the National Solidarity Programme and Mercy Corps’ Invest Training Programme; has vastly improved people’s quality of life.
• The schemes have tended to be small, local and sustainable and therefore have not impacted the whole country;
• They have done this through education, providing access to technology / infrastructure, and supporting agricultural activity.

Question 13

The Failures of Aid in Afghanistan

Answer 13

• The military aid agenda became dominant in Afghanistan and aid depended on areas being cleared by the military first - not sustainable aid
• The proportion of aid given to certain areas, such as Helmand, was high because of the focus on the conflict there; this detracts from aid to other regions of Afghanistan.
• Opium production and crop substitution has not been successful because it is still so easy to grow and so profitable.
• Corruption levels have not decreased and government accountability has not increased.

Question 14

Progress of Aid in Afghanistan

Answer 14

• US urgently pushed a peace deal with the Taliban to end its costly military presence in Afghanistan
• The war-stricken country will still require billions of dollars in international aid over many years after a peace deal to deliver basic services and sustain any potential peace
• Aid has not got to the point where the country can stand on its own two feet
• It has not solved infrastructure problems or conflict

So why keep giving aid?
- But aid on its own has not solved Afghanistan’s problems