A Dawn of Hope for Afghanistan's Reconstruction

(The author is administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development)

With the historic Bonn Accords that established a new Afghan Interim Governing Authority, and the demise of the Taliban and al Qaeda forces inside the country, the world's attention is now rightly turning to the critical next step: helping the Afghan people to rebuild their shattered nation after 22 years of war. It is vitally important to the United States and the rest of the world that the Afghan people start to fulfill this elusive promise of peace and prosperity that is rightfully theirs.

It is entirely in our own interest too. Under the stress of two decades of war, Afghanistan has become home to approximately 3,600 metric tons of opium production annually, or about 70 percent of world supply. Ultimately, a government capable of enforcing laws, and of providing agricultural extension services to farmers, is the key to controlling illicit drug production.

Afghanistan must never again serve as a refuge for terrorists. That means that the Afghan people's livelihoods and most basic aspirations must never again be left for sale to the highest foreign bidder. Afghans deserve a chance to create the political stability and favorable business climate that would offer basic education, health, income opportunity and sound local governance. None of this will be possible if regional factions and armed militias continue fighting each other. These factions and the Afghan people should understand that we will not and cannot undertake reconstruction efforts without peace and support for the interim government.

A clear agenda for donor governments to follow in supporting Afghanistan's reconstruction effort has emerged from the Washington, D.C. and Brussels donor conferences on Afghanistan. Working closely with the international community, we should pursue four goals:

1. First, over the next six months, we must create the conditions for survival for Afghanistan's displaced people and refugees, and come spring, help them to return and re-establish themselves in their home communities.

2. Second, also in the next six months, we must help assure basic food security, which involves revitalizing agricultural production, restoring livelihoods and purchasing power for as many Afghans as possible, while also restoring access to basic health services, especially for women and children. At this point, we will already have the means to begin encouraging farmers to abandon poppy cultivation in favor of other cash crops. Afghanistan can feed itself if there is peace, and aid funds are invested in agricultural reconstruction, an effort that will create jobs, livelihoods, and that will give idle young men something to do beyond joining a militia.

3. Third, starting in the spring and for at least the next three years, create incentives for stability, isolating and reducing the forces of conflict, terrorism and drug trafficking. We can do this by recognizing that over 80 percent of Afghanistan's population depends upon agriculture. Rehabilitating the agriculture sector will not only reduce dependency on food, but assure employment opportunities to former combatants and returnees that will enhance the security environment. Another key element of this effort will be to reconstruct the primary education system, skills training and functional literacy.

4. Fourth, over the longer period, we must continue to help in strengthening Afghanistan's political and economic governance structures. This entails the United States and other donors helping government, business and industry groups, and civil society organizations to consolidate early gains while reducing their dependence on foreign aid and financing.

As 20 million people inside Afghanistan, and many of the roughly six million immigrants and refugees living in Pakistan, Iran, and throughout Europe, North America, Australia and elsewhere, turn to the task of rebuilding, there are definite strengths and foundations to work with. For example, Afghanistan's mountains and temperate irrigated plains have nurtured trees that have borne a harvest of temperate fruit and nut products widely sought out in markets throughout the region. Natural gas, coal, and precious gems are examples of the nation's mineral wealth that could be harnessed. Afghan people have demonstrated throughout their history that they are instinctive entrepreneurs, and hence, a priority for Afghan reconstruction will be to encourage the countries in the region to negotiate trade agreements. The Afghan "Diaspora" constitutes an important source of highly trained and talented people who can help to rebuild the country.

At the highest levels, our government has pledged to contribute directly and significantly to this reconstruction effort. But we cannot do it alone. First and foremost, the entire international community must pledge the basic funding required to jump-start this process. This week's high-level meeting of donor governments and organizations in Brussels has prepared the international community and the nascent interim Afghan government to chart a more specific reconstruction agenda, backed by specific assistance pledges from donors, in Tokyo in late January.

(Andrew Natsios is Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and as the leader of the US Government's humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, was the first high-ranking U.S. official to visit Afghanistan in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2000.)