Jessica T. Mathews & Douglas Alexander, 'The Future Of Afghanistan And Pakistan: The Development Challenge', Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 30 July 2009
EXCERPT: "The international coalition cannot defeat the Taliban without a strengthened Afghan state. It should work through the Afghan government—rather than international agencies—to increase economic opportunity and foster effective political institutions at the district and province level. Visiting Washington after Afghanistan, UK Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander told an audience the Carnegie Endowment that Afghans need to see their government, rather than the international coalition or non-governmental organizations—or the Taliban—delivering improvements if the Afghan state is going to be viable in the long-term. He cited improved security and increased access to justice as the top development priorities, with health, education, and other basic services as critical but secondary. Alexander also called on the international community to support Pakistan's efforts to combat extremism in the provinces bordering Afghanistan."
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To continue listening to the event audio, click here [mp3].
See also:
'After decades of conflict, Afghanistan struggles to rebuild itself', ReliefWeb, 31 July 2009
'Time for effective aid in Afghanistan', Foreign Policy in Focus, 30 July 2009
'Miliband to NATO: Step up development effort in Afghanistan', The Guardian, 26 July 2009
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'Falling short on Afghanistan', 29 April 2009
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