DfID-Afghanistan Partnership

Thirty years of conflict, extremism and violence have left Afghanistan as one of the poorest countries in the world. Corruption, driven by political patronage and a war economy, as well as overall instability, has obstructed social and economic development. While there has been some development progress made, particularly in the critical areas of public financial management and establishing public institutions, the reconstruction and development challenges are daunting. The country is off track on all Millennium Development Goals, sparking a five-year extension until 2020. In the vast majority of the country, the government is not capable of providing basic social services. Three out of four Afghans are unable to read and write, while average life expectancy stands at just 48 years. One in six Afghan children dies before the age of 6. In line with the United Kingdom’s National Security Council Strategy, U.K. aid will support progress toward a viable Afghan state. Specifically, the U.K. Department for International Development and other U.K. development groups will work to build a more capable government at all levels and reduce poverty by tackling the root causes of instability and insecurity in Afghanistan. Funding levels For fiscal years 2011-12 to 2014-15, DfID has allotted 714 million pounds ($1 billion) in aid to Afghanistan, an increase of approximately 40 percent from previous years. The department’s spending averages 178.5 million pounds per fiscal year. The Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund is a multidonor funded initiative and serves as the key mechanism to support the government and U.K. aid delivery. About 50 percent of U.K. funding is channeled through government systems to help build the country’s capacity to manage its own affairs. The majority of programs are co-funded with other donors to leverage support and align development efforts. The agency will continue working with the United Nations, European Union, World Bank and Asian Development Bank, as well as a variety of international, national, civil society and private sector organizations. Funding priorities DfID’s engagement with Afghanistan is strategically aligned with the Afghan government’s National Development Strategy towards a more peaceful, stable and prosperous nation. DfID will focus on three critical areas: - Supporting peace, security and political stability. - Promoting economic stability, growth and jobs. - Helping the state to deliver improved services. Currently, the three largest operational projects in Afghanistan are the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund 2009-2013 (364.15 million pounds), Helmand Growth Program in Afghanistan (36.49 million pounds) and the Supporting Employment and Enterprise Development in Afghanistan (36.05 million pounds). All are targeted toward private sector development, wealth creation and economic growth. They are founded on the idea that improved livelihoods and a growing economy will help weaken insurgency in the country. The Helmand region, south of Afghanistan, is a base for U.K. forces. It is a priority area for DfID with as much as 20 percent of program resources being directly spent on the province. The agency is dedicated to improving the economic situation, providing technical and vocational education and training, as well as the rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads and other infrastructure of this region. Devex analysis The United Kingdom is dedicated to working closely with and through the Afghan government to encourage resiliency and improve the response to the demands of the Afghan people. Afghanistan is one of DfID’s 27 priority countries and among the United Kingdom’s top foreign policy priorities. According to the U.K. Enduring Strategic Partnership agreement with Afghanistan, the United Kingdom is committed to serve as a long-term partner to help Afghanistan for many years to come. Achieving value for money — a key principal embedded in all U.K. aid priorities and programming — comes with a number of challenges in Afghanistan. High security premiums, lack of national skill and expertise base, a limited pool of contractors and project implementers (limiting competition), an inadequate scope for DfID staff and auditors to travel to parts of the country and the scarcity of data and evidence to assess value for money have limited both the implementation and management of DfID’s programs. Contact: Department for International Development – Afghanistan Tel.: (44-20) 7023-0600 Email: enquiry@dfid.gov.uk