Report: World community failing Afghanistan
Afghanistan is in dire need of funds and improvements in security if it is to avoid a “road to hell” says a report from a New York-based aid agency.
The Centre on International Cooperation (CIC) said on Monday that promises made as a result of the 11 September attacks had not been fulfilled.
“Putting Afghanistan on the road to peace needs more than good intentions, it needs urgent action,” they said.
“If donors continue to try to fulfil their pledges on the cheap or allow for further delays, they will set Afghanistan on a road to hell that Afghans know too well.”
According to the report, insecurity is growing – moreso outside Kabul. There have been 62 attacks on UN aid agency staff from May to August, compared with just five attacks in the last four months of 2002.
No committment from nations
NATO has said it wants to expand its 5000 peacekeeping force in Afghanistan and increase its presence beyond Kabul. But contributing nations have yet to commit troops for the intended role of the International Security.
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“In a world where security and prosperity are global issues, the international community will surely pay for its actions in Afghanistan – either by supporting Afghanistan now or by paying for the consequences of not doing so later.” CIC report |
“It is simply not right that while Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia and East Timor had an average of one peacekeeper for every 65 people, Afghanistan has still only one ISAF member for every 5,380 people,” they said.
CIC and Care say Afghanistan needs at least $20 billion to get back on its feet, but by mid-May 2003, projects worth only $192 million had actually been completed. That accounts for only 1% of all reconstruction needs.
Only 40% of the $5.2 billion in aid pledged in January 2002 has been released, and nearly a quarter of that diverted from long-term reconstruction to short-term emergency needs.
CIC and Care’s report, expected to be formally released on Tuesday, also blames the US military for funding and rearming regional commanders in order to buy their support.
“In a world where security and prosperity are global issues, the international community will surely pay for its actions in Afghanistan – either by supporting Afghanistan now or by paying for the consequences of not doing so later.”
CIC was established at New York University in 1996. Care has been working in Afghanistan since the 1960s.