Reconstructing Afghanistan

by | Feb 15, 2008 | Economics and development

The UK Parliament select committee on Development reports on the state of Afghanistan. You can read the report here. There are 50 recommendations – here are my top 10.

  1. Afghanistan should remain a major focus for DFID.
  2. DFID’s media strategy for Afghanistan should be strengthened
  3. DFID must develop a new communications strategy in Afghanistan to ensure accurate information about the scale of its work is widely circulated.
  4.  We recommend the early provision of a dedicated aeroplane for the use of DFID and other Embassy staff to carry out their work in Afghanistan.
  5. Development agencies need to come to international agreements among themselves about what constitutes good practice for post-war reconstruction and development in fragile states, especially when they are working in partnership with the military.
  6.  We believe that greater international pressure should be placed on Pakistan to control more effectively the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
  7. We ask the Secretary of State to discuss with the Ministry of Defence the feasibility of extending UK military commanders’ tours of duty in Helmand to, say, one year.
  8. Progress in creating an effective and legitimate Afghan National Police force has been slow. Corruption and bribery are rife and this is hampering acceptance of the police as a force for good. There are insufficient police trainers and there is no clear consensus about what type of police force—paramilitary or civilian—is required. We believe that the issue of remit must be clarified as quickly as possible
  9. Opium poppy production is causally linked to insecurity and corruption in Afghanistan. Suggestions of the involvement in narcotics of high-ranking officials are worrying. We believe greater effort on the part of the President and donors is essential to ensure that involvement in opium poppy production is stamped out at every level of government.
  10. We agree with the UK and Afghan Governments that aerial spraying of poppies is not desirable for health and safety reasons and because it risks increasing insecurity in already insecure provinces.

Basra. Back in the headlines

by | Feb 15, 2008 | Middle East and North Africa

The current situation in Basra is extremely worrying. Consider the following:

  • Local authorities in the city advise all civilians to stay at home after sunset. At night the city is almost in complete chaos with the market place a target of regular mortar attacks.
  • Locals now do their own foot patrols in their neighbourhoods while militias and the Soldier of Heaven ‘cult’ roam the streets.
  • Basra airport is under daily attack from mortars.
  • Assassinations are rife. Around 15-20 bodies per day turn up at Basra morgue. Most have been killed by a gunshot wound to the head (worryingly from 9mm) . Some 15 per cent are women.
  • The majority of sectarian killings are being committed by police elements.
  • Iranian intelligence are making their presence felt.

I think we are going to see a lot more about Basra in the headlines in the next few weeks. Whitehall may well have its work cut out.

Mapping human destruction in the world’s oceans

by | Feb 15, 2008 | Climate and resource scarcity

A new study in the Science Journal shows human activity has left a mark on nearly every square kilometer of sea, severely compromising ecosystems in more than 40% of waters. Scientists have produced a global map of different activities including climate change, fishing, pollution and other human factors. The map is the first attempt to describe and quantify combined threats  – the result is pretty harrowing.