Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Aid to Afghanistan

Alastair Leithead , BBC News, Kabul says "Some $10bn (£5bn) in aid promised to Afghanistan has still to be delivered, aid organisation Oxfam has said. It also finds that two-thirds of aid is not spent through the government and 40% goes back to donor countries in consultant fees and expatriate pay. Oxfam says the prospects for peace in Afghanistan are being undermined because what has been donated is not being used effectively. Oxfam carried out the report on behalf of 94 aid agencies in Afghanistan. '

I am surprised that an aid agency considers paying its expats to be repatriating its money. Should they work for nothing or only employ locals? I am also surprised an aid agency thinks that it is a good idea to give aid direct to a government which IMO is the surest way for it to reach only the rich. Finally there is no mention of the government scam whereby expats in the country have to daily pay for their stay via visa fees and that includes their children. So aid agencies are paying a tax in order to help the country.

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