Abstract:
While many politicians in Afghanistan and worldwide use
the issue of Afghanistan's reconstruction for a variety of
their own agendas, little has happened on the ground in Afghanistan
to better the lot of its people or open up opportunities for
its future development. Most of the money pledged for reconstruction
still remains as pledges. Technicians and material are still
awaited to be organized and utilized for the purpose. One
of the tactics for reconstruction aid to Afghanistan has been
highlighted by a report that Japan wants to use Kandahar as
one of its reconstruction aid programs to Afghanistan. The
idea of adopting provinces and regions as a tactic in delivering
of assistance seems worth serious consideration. And all of
the above require economic development planning based on scientific
principles. The transitional government will do well to embark
upon such planning and soon.
At a meeting
on the vital issue of reconstruction, last week attended by
a number of cabinet members of the transitional government
of Afghanistan in Washington DC, speeches were delivered either
in English or were translated into English. But when it came
to the minister in charge of reconstruction of Afghanistan,
he stood up and started forthright speaking in his fluent
native Dari language. Somebody shouted if there was a translator
at hand. Finding none, he took upon himself to translate.
The incident
highlighted two points. 1) The Afghan minister is so eager
to begin his work that he cannot wait for translators to convey
his message. And 2) The Afghan minister, who is considered
the chief planner for reconstruction himself had no plans,
not even for his much awaited speech.
But if
Afghan reconstruction is to be taken more seriously than fuel
for political maneuvering and substance for political speeches,
then it certainly requires a solid plan based on priorities
that are established, not on the basis of political pressures,
but on realities on the ground and on scientific principles.
Afghan
politicians as well as their foreign counterparts in the international
community use the subject of Afghanistan's reconstruction
to further a variety of their own agendas. Leaders in the
East and the West, including presidents, prime ministers and
chief politicians include the issue in their passionate speeches
when they refer to humanitarian aid to the deserving Afghan
nation and when they talk about the international responsibility
of their nation regarding Afghanistan. President Bush of the
United States has gone so far as to point to an assistance
program of the scope of the post World War II Marshal Plan
for Germany. His counterparts in the European Union, and Russia,
Japan, Canada and others have not hesitated to express strong
pledges of support to the Afghan nation for its reconstruction.
Some have connected the issue with peace and security in South-central
Asia. Some call it a boost to the worldwide struggle against
terrorism. Others, perhaps correctly, see in a prosperous
Afghanistan a great chance for worldwide drug control and
trafficking.
But reconstruction
has not started in earnest in Afghanistan. Could it be that
both the Afghans and their supporters do not know how? Translating
political rhetoric into pragmatic programs, for example, does
not need politicians; it needs technicians. And technicians
need money and material to do their work. Where are those
technicians and where are the money and material? The transitional
government and its ministry of reconstruction together with
all economic and financial institutions of the government
need to sit together and find the answers. Then they have
to sit with their foreign and international supporters and
ask them for the much-publicized pledges of their financial
support. They need to show to the donor countries how they
have planned to spend the money and what will be the end result
of the particular projects that they would be financing. When
are these projects to begin and when are they expected to
complete are other questions of interest that cannot be answered
without scientific explanations.
One of the recent reports said the government of Japan has
decided to use Kandahar as an example of its help in the reconstruction
of Afghanistan. The idea brings to fore one of the many tactics
that can be adopted regarding the process of reconstruction
in Afghanistan. This tactic could be called; "Adopt a
Province." If the tactic itself is adopted, then donor
countries and groups, based on a well thought and coordinated
plan, adopt either regions of provinces including major cities
within the province as well as the countryside. This will
also amount to implementation of micro-developmental plans
that could at a later stage be implemented nationwide. These
would, of necessity be general developmental plans as opposed
to sector planning such as planning for national education
or health or agriculture or industries.
The tactic
may also provide possibilities of establishment of sister-city
relationship between the major cities in Afghan provinces
and specific cities in donor countries.
But to
adopt this or any other tactic for the reconstruction of Afghanistan
requires a commitment by the transitional government to putting
in action its political promises for the welfare of the country.
In this it may need the help of the Afghan intelligentsia
inside and outside the country, developmental experts and
a strict time frame for planning and implementation. 8/2/02