Book Description

This report, produced by the International Development Committee (HCP 65-I. session 2007-08), along with oral and written evidence (HCP 65-II, session 2007-08, ISBN 9780215513649) examines the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The Committee reached a number of conclusions, including: that reconstruction of the country and its economy will be a lengthy process and that Afghanistan will not meet the UN's Millennium Development Goals by 2015; that any reconstruction process needs to be Afghan-led; that the consequences for global security are significant if the international community abandons Afghanistan. The Committee also set out 50 recommendations, that include: the Committee supports the UK Government's continuing commitment to help bring peace and security to this region, and that Afghanistan needs to remain a major focus for the Department for International Development; that the presence of 7,000 British troops in this region needs the support of the British public, but that DFID needs a media and communications strategy that places greater emphaisis on the achievements in political reform, economic growth and basic services; that the international commitments by the Afghanistan Government to the rights of women are honoured; the Committee recommends the early provision of a dedicated aeroplane for the use of DFID and other Embassy staff in Afghanistan; the Committee expressed disappointment that sufficient international momentum could not be gained for the appointment of a high level joint UN, NATO, EU coordinator, or super-envoy in Afghanistan, and that ways must be found to fully resource the UN Special Representative in the region; that to stabilise security conditions, full cooperation between the NATO forces, the Afghan Government and armed forces is crucial; that further international pressure be placed on Pakistan to control more effectively the Federally Administered Tribal Areas also that controlling drug trafficking between Afghanistan and Pakistan is key to any counter-narcotics policy; that there has been insufficient attention to and funding for the agricultural and livestock sectors which could provide a range of alternatives to Opium poppy production, and that DFID should establish a programme to offer technical advice and training in agricultural extension services and develop a multifaceted rural livelihoods approach. For a report on UK Operations in Afghanistan, see (HCP 408, session 2006-07, ISBN 9780215035073). For an earlier oral and written evidence on reconstructing Afghanistan, see (HCP 772-i, session 2005-06, ISBN 9780215028112).