The pressures and stakes in Afghanistan have never been greater. While most of the world grasps America’s role in and commitment to Afghanistan development, there has been limited awareness and analysis of the contributions of other key bilateral donors. Here’s a quick rundown of the financial commitments, priorities, and activities of the top 5 bilateral donors supporting Afghanistan at this critical time.
1. United States
Acknowledging that Afghans must take control of their own development, the latest U.S. transition strategy for development and governance focuses on sustainability and capacity building. The requested programmable aid budget of the U.S. is $3.9 billion for 2011 and $3.2 billion for 2012, with the reductions a direct result of decreases in peace and security spending following the gradual pull-out of American troops in Afghanistan. Priority areas of U.S. aid include peace and security; democracy, human rights, and governance; health; education and social services; economic development; environment; and humanitarian assistance. To ensure the long-term sustainable development of Afghanistan, $1.1 billion will be spent on strengthening national and sub-national governance. Also, to facilitate long-term economic growth, another $1 billion will be spent on infrastructure, specifically investments in a national power grid and run-of-river hydropower.