The New Yorker: America’s war in Afghanistan, which is now in its fifteenth year, presents a mystery: how could so much money, power, and good will have achieved so little? Congress has appropriated almost eight hundred billion dollars for military operations in Afghanistan; a hundred and thirteen billion has gone to reconstruction, more than was spent
Khaama Press: Russia has agreed to turn a long-standing debt payable by Afghanistan into a non-refundable aid, the Afghan finance officials said Thursday. Finance Minister Eklil Ahmadi Hakimi welcomed and hailed Moscow’s commitment to strengthen and expand trade, economic and social relations between the two nations. Click here for more information (external link).
VOA News March 3, 2016 KABUL—Afghanistan’s chief peace negotiator says talks with Taliban-led insurgent groups are a “last opportunity” for accord, despite increasing violence during the past six months by armed opposition factions. Direct peace negotiations between Afghan government and Taliban delegates are expected to take place in neighboring Pakistan later this week. A four-nation
Tolo News: Chief Executive of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah on Tuesday said that lack of coordination between security forces and a lack of cooperation between people and the Afghan National Police force members is the main reason for the increase in insecurity in the country. “People can say their pain to the security officials only
Kaama Press: The construction work of Kandahar cricket stadium was inaugurated today with the financial support of government of India. The Government of India under its aid to Afghanistan is funding USD 1 Million for the construction of this Cricket Stadium. The Embassy of India in Kabul said the stadium will provide an immense opportunity for the
The Washington Post: When the next major earthquake hits Afghanistan, could it leave the leadership of the Afghan military buried under five stories’ worth of rubble? John F. Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, does not rule it out. In an audit set for release Thursday, Sopko said the new $155 million Afghan military headquarters, funded
Khaama Press: Ministry of Urban Development and Housing says pretty soon the construction of 10,000 residential units would begin in Herat city, capital of Western Herat province. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama Press: A Qatari prince has pledged $140 million comprised of non-refundable aid and capital for joint investment in key housing sectors in Afghanistan. Two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) were signed between the Qatari prince Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani, head of the Al-Gharafa Non-governmental Organization, and the Minister of Urban Development Affairs of Afghanistan
Khaama Press: Two grant agreements worth $128 million were signed between the Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan and the World Bank, covering two key sectors – Farm Water Management Project and Hydropower Rehabilitation Project. Click here to read more (external link).
Press TV January 21, 2016 A US government watchdog has found that a Defense Department agency wasted millions of dollars on reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. The Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, John Sopko, accused the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO) of “poorly planned, and ill-conceived projects” in Afghanistan. TFBSO, a division