Expert asks world to provide needy Afghans with small businesses

KABUL (Pajhwok): Peace and development affairs expert Mushtaq Rahim has hailed the international community’s timely humanitarian assistance after the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s takeover in August 2021.

However, the expert told Pajhwok Afghan News during an interview that the international community should now provide needy Afghans with small businesses to support themselves after assistance.

Emergency aid after political change in Afghanistan

Mushtaq Rahim said economic stagnation occurred in Afghanistan after the political change, but the role of the United Nations had been essential in delivering emergency aid.

He added Afghanistan experienced economic stagnation, limited regional connectivity due to international sanctions and international business was stopped with Afghanistan due to non-recognition of the caretaker government. International organizations ceased functioning in Afghanistan, making it difficult for the Afghan people to find food three times a day.

The UN has prepared a framework for receiving money and delivering it to needy people at very sensitive time and has also prepared related programs, he commented.

Why international aid in Afghanistan not sustainable?

Rahim says the UN has a theoretical framework for distribution of international assistance according to which emergency aid should be delivered first and then work should begin on the sustainable phase.

He says: “However, sustainable issues are not considered in practice in the process. When a family receives emergency aid, this family should be able to support itself after the aid.”

According to him, unfortunately aid agencies in Afghanistan are currently focused on easy things such as distributing cash or giving money to people in exchange for  symbolic works.

He added: “We are lacking a strategic plan right now to deliver the aid in a good manner. With this vision, we do not know in which direction Afghanistan economy is going.”

He said another reason was that governments of donor agencies could not directly work with the caretaker government.

He blamed the Ministry of Economy (MoE) for late approval of development projects which were thus delayed beyond the stipulated time.

Ways to reach sustainable stage of international aid in Afghanistan

Mushtaq said aid agencies in Afghanistan were currently assisting people in rural areas, but the needs of all people should be understood and threats to the existing infrastructure projects should be known.

He said: “People need a lot of assistance in agriculture sector. Their products should reach the market on time.”

He went to suggest that people should also be provided with small businesses at rural level.

He added that Afghan experts working with aid organizations should share their views with their foreign experts and present the true image of Afghans and the effects of all programs.

He added domestic organizations should have honest discussions with their donors and donating organizations to satisfy them to design programs according to the needs of Afghans.

According to him, it is necessary for distribution of assistance that institutions which implement programs at the national level should not bring strategies from Brussels and New York, but they should implement projects according to the current needs of Afghans.

“It is the responsibility of the project implementation agencies to discuss with donor countries the evaluation of all projects and take practical steps in this regard.”

kk/ma