Reaching out to Central Asia

Most analysts and commentators predict that post-2014 Afghanistan is going to face three major challenges – security, political and economic. The security and political aspects (including the transfer of responsibilities to the Afghan security forces, the process of electing a new President, and peace talks with the Taliban) are enormous difficulties that will have to be overcome. Foreign aid and the engagement of international organisations is set to decrease along with the number of foreign troops in the country, and while the Chicago and Tokyo conferences in 2012 earmarked USD 14 billion and 16 billion respectively for the 'transformative decade' of 2015-2024, it is clear that Afghanistan will soon have to rely on a home grown economy to drive meaningful and long-term reconstruction efforts.

According to the Afghan government, more than 70 nations have pledged about USD 120 billion for the reconstruction project since the fall of Taliban, the majority of which has come from the US. Recently however, amidst reports of aid money failing to reach its targets, corruption and the shoddiness of the final products, the patience of Congress and the American public is showing signs of wearing thin. Already, aid has been reduced significantly, and there is  now a ban on beginning new infrastructure projects in the country by the US military.