Afghanistan has been the focal point of many countries' strategic plans since 2001. International community has pumped around $60 billion for the reconstruction and stabilization of peace and prosperity in the country, but unfortunately they have not been able to triumph over the security issues which have resulted in the economy of the country being 90% dependent on international aids.
The government of Afghanistan and international community have not been able to take any fundamental initiations to streamline the country's industrial infrastructures so as to make the country economically sovereign after the international troops' withdrawal by the end of 2014. Afghan government under the leadership of Hamid Karzai restructured its constitution in 2003 in which the government articulated of supporting Capitalism and mixed business market systems that lined the opportunities for many entrepreneurs to develop private business firms.
But due to lack of elemental industrial infrastructure, the private firms could not expend accordingly. They all grew up international aids dependent businesses. As the withdrawal of international troops is scheduled by the end of 2014 from the region; major businesses are in plan to be shifted way out of Afghanistan.
The country was evacuated during Taliban regime, the business markets were entirely down and no one was the man of investment in the country. But since 2001, when America invaded the region along with the approval of $15 billion aids during the first investment summit conference of Tokyo in 2002 encouraged many Afghan and foreign entrepreneurs to rush back into country for initiating different sorts of business firms such as constructions, logistic services, and consultancy firms.
The 2002 Tokyo conference consisted of 61 country and 21 international organization representatives where they signed the commitment of supporting a war torn country to restructure its demolished infrastructures. The participants in the conference estimated 15 billion as the initial aid requirements to get the country back on development track. But the estimated amount was nothing in comparison to political, social and educational issues that were threatening Afghan society. In order to cope with the issues, the international investment conferences on Afghanistan continued afterwards.
Following the Tokyo conference in 2002, International Community arranged various conferences in different countries for analyzing the investments on Afghanistan's infrastructures stabilization. Afghanistan has been the focal point of many international conferences since 2001. The conferences that were mainly arranged to study the investments on Afghanistan since 2001 in different countries include Berlin conference in 2004 in which representatives from 23 countries had participated. They signed the agreement of $8 billion aids for further three years in Afghanistan.
Tokyo conference in 2006, Rome conference in 2007, Paris conference in 2008, Moscow conference in 2009, Laha Holland conference in 2012 and many other conferences carried out in Kabul, Islamabad and Tehran. But due to lack of capacity and high rate of corruption in government structure of Afghanistan, the international aids were not spent effectively and efficiently.
Due to lack of capacity and ineffective governance; despite millions of international aids spent on reconstruction and stabilization of the country, Afghanistan is still listed among the top ten poorest countries in the world. The economy of the country relies on international aids and the security instability is another warning that adds to the dependency of country's economy on international aids. Since 2001, most of the international funds are utilized for capacity building of security forces.
According to report released in 2008 by aid agencies, "Due to lack of effective human resources and capacity in government structure, 40% of the money that has been delivered was spent on corporate profits and consultancy fees." It means, only 60% of the funds are spent in Afghanistan and the rest of the funds are returned to the funding donors via their consultants and advisors. The country still lacks experts and skilled human resources to manage the future international community's humanitarian funds. In order to safeguard the future funds, it is worth focusing on restructuring a government free of corruption; otherwise the water will flow to the same stream as it has been flowing.
On the other hand, in order to maintain the rational achievements in terms of security, education, health care and construction developments since 2001; Britain and other nations have agreed to help Afghanistan in post 2014 era so it does not slip back into chaos and civil war. Post 2014 uncertainties have created anxiety for the majority of Afghan and foreign investors in the country, but the last Tokyo conference held on Sunday, 08, July, 2012 which included representatives from around 70 countries and organizations confirming the approval of an annual $4 billion aids in post 2014 era has created a green line of hope for economic growth chances in the future. The annual aids in post 2014 is considered to be invested on building a roadmap of accountability to ensure future improvements of good governance, financial management and safeguard the democratic process which is achieved during the last decade.
It is really unfair to be pessimist all about the achievements since 2001. The government along with the cooperation of international community since the US invasion in the region has got admirable achievements in terms of education, health care, construction, women rights of access to education and justice. But the challenges that are threatening the country in post 2014 era are quite distressing for all national and international alliances who are engaged with the issues in the country.
The ongoing developmental activities are facing uncertainties, as the international community is getting ready to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. Currently, Afghan National Security Forces (ANFS) are under exhaustive capacity building trainings so that they should gain the capabilities of creating a safe environment after the withdrawal of international forces from the region. On the other hand, there are questions rising if there will be any guarantee of continuation for the current limited achievement in term of economical development. This is the question that the time and security situation will answer by the end of 2014. Business markets are getting down day by day and no one dares to invest in the country due to the ambiguity which is leading the economic growth towards instability and more enslavement.