West is failing on Afghan aid

Updated: 16:48, Tuesday, 25 March 2008

Western countries have failed to deliver 40% of promised aid to Afghanistan, according to a new report.

1 of 1Afghanistan - 40% of aid is not delivered
Afghanistan - 40% of aid is not delivered

Aid agencies say that two-thirds of what does arrive bypasses the Afghan government.

Meanwhile, around 40% of assistance returns to donor nations as corporate profits and high consultant costs, according to a report from the Agency Coordinating Body For Afghan Relief of aid groups.

Funds going towards reconstruction are just a fraction of military expenditure, with €16.23bn spent on security-related assistance, such as building the Afghan security force, since 2001, according to ACBAR.

The international community had pledged $25bn to Afghanistan since 2001, when the extremist Taliban was removed from power.

However, just $15bn in aid has so far been spent.

About two-thirds of foreign assistance bypasses the Afghan government, which undermines efforts to build effective state institutions.

The World Bank says that to build a state and be accountable to its people, the government needs to have a say over resource allocation.

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