MDGs and UNDP
Millennium Project
Afghanistan Millennium Development Goals Report 2005

SUMMARY

¨ Donors disbursed US $8.4 billion for Afghanistan between January 2002 and March 2005. This is less than what was pledged. Furthermore, many of the disbursed funds are spent on overhead and technical assistance (foreign consultants), while there are lengthy delays in expenditure and implementation. If these trends continue over the next years, the government's ability to undertake medium-term fiscal planning will be adversely affected.

¨ To meet the MDGs in Afghanistan, the level of investment in the security sector, transport and infrastructure must be maintained. At the same time, MDG achievement also hinges on a significant increase of investments in the social sector.

¨ The proportion of tied aid is three times more than the proportion of untied aid.This needs to be reversed, since research shows that tied aid is 25% less effective than untied aid. In addition, tied aid undermines government authority and does not build government capacity.

¨ ODA needs to be increased to as much as US $168 per capita from the current US $83 and sustained at this level over a 7 year period to make Afghanistan a financially self-sustaining state with the capacity to meet basic social needs and embark on the process of poverty eradication. The larger amounts of aid should increasingly go to build government legitimacy and capacity through direct or indirect support of the government budget.

¨ Donors must support region-wide investments in transport infrastructure, customs and security cooperation, a manpower and labour regime, and management of natural resources (especially water) to help Afghanistan mitigate the disadvantages that result from its situation as a landlocked country. This may require donors to create regional entities within their own bureaucracies and budgets to assure that regional planning and investment takes place.

¨ A much greater proportion of assistance will be needed for capacity building of government at both the national and sub-national levels in financial planning and management, accounting and auditing systems, and in effectively opening up and broadening decision making processes so that investments meet the real needs of local peoples and communities.

¨ The development of the Interim ANDS in 2005 and the full ANDS in 2006 provides the opportunity for donors to support the government in prioritising policy choices for the period until 2010. However, this involvement also obliges donors to enhance the overall effectiveness of aid by better aligning their support around the priorities articulated in the ANDS, and by harmonising and simplifying their policies and practices.

AFGHANISTAN'S REVISED MDG TARGETS AND INDICATORS

==> Deal comprehensively and influence the provision of foreign aid through appropriate measures to enable Afghanistan develop sustainably in long-term

¨ Proportion of total bilateral, sector-allocable ODA of OECD/DAC donors to basic social services (basic education, primary health care, nutrition, safe water and sanitation)
¨ Proportion of bilateral ODA of OECD/DAC donors that is untied
¨ ODA received as proportion of its GNI
¨ Proportion of ODA provided to help build trade capacity

==> Develop an open, rule-based predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system including a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction

¨ Percentage of total export to countries with which Afghanistan has a preferential trade agreement

==> In cooperation with developing countries, develop and implement strategies for decent and productive work for youth

¨ Unemployment rate of young people aged 15-24 years, each sex and total

==> In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries

¨ Proportion of population with access to affordable essential drugs on a sustainable basis

==> In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications

¨ Telephone lines and cellular subscribers per 1,000 population
¨ Personal computers in use per 100 population and Internet users per 1,000 population

|Back to MDGs Main Page|