Since 2001, when Taliban's government was toppled, the international community has generously poured funds in Afghanistan that have supported this country develop in many areas including democracy, women rights, education, economy and media. The world has consistently provided aids to the Afghan government and directly funded certain development projects across the country. The fund inflow has continued quite smoothly, even though Afghanistan is popular for the rampant corruption that has persisted here since the last ten years.
It is worth saying that Afghan government might have taken some serious and practical measures to clean itself of corruption if the international community had temporarily stopped its funds in protest to Karzai administration's weak intentions towards fighting corruption.
Despite the fact that international financial support has been consistent and without any breaks, no laudable change is observable in common Afghans' lives who face poverty, unemployment, terror attacks and dozens of such problems on daily basis.
The international backers of Afghanistan are pondering over plans to fund this country's military and non-military expenditures beyond 2014 – a year set for complete withdrawal of US and NATO soldiers. On Saturday, April 28, the World Bank (WB) – one of the major international organizations that have financially supported Afghanistan in the last decade – said that it is committed to continue funding Afghanistan and will provide $150 million in grant annually to this country. Abdul Rauf, WB Spokesman in Afghanistan said that the decision has been made based on the WB's strategy for the next three years.
Mineral resources, economic development and creation of employment opportunities are deemed appropriate alternatives to foreign aides as after the international troops withdraw from Afghanistan, the level of aids to Afghanistan will decrease. The decrease, according to WB analysis, will be between 4 to 6 percent.
Continuation of aids at least for a decade after 2014 is vital for Afghanistan. Nonetheless, if no serious measure is taken or if the Afghan government is not further pressurized to curb corruption, Afghanistan is to benefit little from the funds that will be donated to it in the future. Until the damages being caused to Afghanistan's development by the unchecked corruption are neglected, no fundamental and sustainable progress can be expected in this country.