US spent $132 billion on reconstruction in Afghanistan since 2002

(November 3)The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has issued a new report that estimates that the US has spent $132 billion on Afghan economic development since 2002.

Details of the SIGAR report A recent news article provides a breakdown of the spending: $82.55 billion for security (including $4.57 billion for counter-narcotics initiatives). $34.46 billion for governance and development (including $4.37 billion for counter-narcotics initiatives). $3.85 billion for humanitarian aid. $11.70 billion for civilian operations. The amount provided to the nine largest active US funds accounts for more than 86.1% (nearly $114.17 billion) of total reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan since 2002. Of this amount, over 92.9% (nearly $106.11 billion) has been promised, and nearly 89.2% (nearly $101.80 billion) has been disbursed.'" Some $5.8 billion of the appropriated funds are estimated to have expired and will not be disbursed. SIGAR claims that another $5.2 billion will be required after any political settlement is reached. A World Bank plan cited in the report says that another $5.2 billion would be required for social and economic development if a political settlement was reached.  

 

Trump refuses to accept a recent deal in principle reached with the Taliban After 18 years into the war a deal in principle was reached between the Taliban and the US but Trump rejected it as a BBC reported in September at the time: ""As far as I'm concerned, they are dead," he told White House reporters on Monday.Over the weekend Mr Trump cancelled secret plans to host a Taliban delegation in the US after the militant group admitted killing a US soldier." The death of just one US soldier at the hands of the Taliban appears to have been crucial in the decision. This will save the $5.2 billion for reconstruction for now but will mean spending more billions perhaps before any settlement is reached. The spending is deferred until later after what so far has been unending.

 

 The Afghan economy The report citing the Afghan statistical authority says that the GDP contracted by 0.2 percent in 2018. This year the SIGAR report shows that the GDP during the first 8 months of this fiscal year grew 3.2 percent. The Afghan Ministry of Finance said the national revenue this year of $114 million has achieved the government's target. A spokesperson for the ministry said: “We had a Afs10 billion increase this year and we earned a Afs160 billion so far and we will achieve our goal by the end of the year."  

 

Critics claim that international aid spending not transparent As a result political analyst Naqibullah Hashemi said: “Our politicians have failed to use the US funds, and, at the same time, the US did not want to give the authority of spending some of the fund on big projects.”

Previously published in the Digital Journal