A 'Marshall Plan' for Afghanistan

[ghazi52]

A 'Marshall Plan' for Afghanistan

05 Sep 2021

The government of Pakistan is right to suggest a "Marshall Plan" for Afghanistan because the country is clearly overwhelmingly dependent on aid and grants in order to survive. But the best Islamabad can do is suggest and lobby for such funding because only the rich countries of the world can be of any help in this matter. Their active participation also acts as a green light for the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) that have the kind of ready money that Afghanistan is in desperate need of at this moment. Therefore, the Americans couldn't have done any worse than pull the plug on Afghan funding after the return of the Taliban and also freeze Afghan central bank's assets abroad, because such measures hurt the man on the street more than anybody in any position of power in the capital.

It is also very wrong to assume that Afghan survival and reconstruction are strictly Afghanistan's problems and they will have to learn to stand on their own two feet. That is because as we have seen in the past, when these people are pushed against the wall, they are forced to resort to poppy cultivation, which brings windfall profits to their farmers and helps stabilise the economy, and a lot of people also become what has become known over the years as 'accidental terrorists' - those who are driven by circumstance and desperation to vent their anger on others. And since both the poppy and the terrorism can reach other shores rather easily, it is very much everybody's problem that Afghanistan has once again been left in the lurch when it does not have the capacity to handle its own financial affairs.

One would have thought that the experience of the 1980s and 1990s had taught important lessons to everybody. If the Americans hadn't left in such a hurry after the Soviets retreated, Afghanistan would never have descended into the extremist safe haven that it became and the mujahideen of the good war would never have mutated into hundreds of militant outfits that have now spread all over the world. Of course the Americans had won then, although indirectly, and have squarely lost this time no matter how you look at it, but each time Afghanistan was left a ruin ready to be exploited by its powerful warlords. And just as al Qaeda was in many ways a product of the previous Afghan war, extremist groups like the so-called Islamic State (IS) are a byproduct of this war against terrorism.

So it is in the interest of the whole world to prevent another civil war in Afghanistan. It matters more to Pakistan than anybody else, of course, because more violence there means more TTP attacks here and also more refugees; on top of the millions that we've been hosting for decades. The first order of business, therefore, should be to pump enough money into the country to get people there busy with its reconstruction. That ought to keep them away from drug cultivation and not leave too many people disgruntled to consider a career in suicide terrorism.

Yet none of that will be possible without what should really be a "Marshall Plan" for Afghanistan. The world's richest and more powerful countries are responsible for reducing countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and Iraq to rubble and their people's lives to utter misery. They must now cough up most of the cash needed to make things right again. That is also, quite realistically, all that they are relevant for as things move on, especially in this region. Because it will be a long time before anybody will open the door for them to come masquerading as democracy-spreading, terrorist-busting liberators in this area again.


Copyright Business Recorder, 2021

A 'Marshall Plan' for Afghanistan

EDITORIAL: The government of Pakistan is right to suggest a "Marshall Plan" for Afghanistan because the country is...

www.brecorder.com

 

[Meengla]

A 'Marshall Plan for Afghanistan': That's what I have been thinking about lately though there are other forum members who are far more knowledgable on economy than me.

I tend to think Pakistan has enough reserves of food and construction material to try to stabilize Afghanistan and prevent famines and make mobility possible. Pakistan also probably has tens of thousands of educated and unemployed youths who could be employed in Afghanistan; Pashto speaking ones would be an asset.

With or without foreign aid, it is in Pakistan's interests to have a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan. If you look into Pakistan's history then you would notice that the Pakistan before 1979 was a 'normal' country compared with what Pakistan became after that and most of that had to do with the events in Afghanistan.

Other forum members are welcome to contribute on how Pakistan can help Afghanistan and its people.

 

[Maula Jatt]

A 'Marshall Plan for Afghanistan': That's what I have been thinking about lately though there are other forum members who are far more knowledgable on economy than me.

I tend to think Pakistan has enough reserves of food and construction material to try to stabilize Afghanistan and prevent famines and make mobility possible. Pakistan also probably has tens of thousands of educated and unemployed youths who could be employed in Afghanistan; Pashto speaking ones would be an asset.

With or without foreign aid, it is in Pakistan's interests to have a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan. If you look into Pakistan's history then you would notice that the Pakistan before 1979 was a 'normal' country compared with what Pakistan became after that and most of that had to do with the events in Afghanistan.

Other forum members are welcome to contribute on how Pakistan can help Afghanistan and its people.

dude I literally saw people arguing a stable Afghanistan is not in Pak favor as in they'll get powerful and increase Durand line pressure

so we'll probably have to discuss this first before moving forward

and I don't think Pak can afford it rn, at best hook them up with countries willing to fund a mini-marshal plan for Afghanistan

 

[bananarepublic]

Oh how I wish Pakistan had some financial stability so it could come into an agreement with afghanistan where they would receive funds in return for the wakhan corridor

 

[Meengla]

dude I literally saw people arguing a stable Afghanistan is not in Pak favor as in they'll get powerful and increase Durand line pressure

Those people are absolutely WRONG! Pakistan needs to lift Afghanistan up--and not necessarily for some 'brotherly' reasons, although they too apply considerably. But for pragmatic reasons.

A prosperous and stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan's interests. And history confirms my claim: Before 1979, Afghanistan was relatively stable and peaceful. What could they do to Pakistan then?? Daoud Khan, after toppling his cousin King Zahir Shah in 1973, used the Durand Line issue for Afghan domestic purposes. Pakistan's western borders were largely peaceful compared with what followed. Anyway, whatever issues Pakistan had with Afghanistan before 1979 pales in comparison with what followed after 1979.

Regional Peace brings prosperity! Europeans have learned that the hard way. And one day Indians too will.

But it is a different matter what can Pakistan actually do to help Afghanistan when Pakistan itself barely starting to recover...

 

[Wood]

A 'Marshall Plan for Afghanistan': That's what I have been thinking about lately though there are other forum members who are far more knowledgable on economy than me.

I tend to think Pakistan has enough reserves of food and construction material to try to stabilize Afghanistan and prevent famines and make mobility possible. Pakistan also probably has tens of thousands of educated and unemployed youths who could be employed in Afghanistan; Pashto speaking ones would be an asset.

With or without foreign aid, it is in Pakistan's interests to have a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan. If you look into Pakistan's history then you would notice that the Pakistan before 1979 was a 'normal' country compared with what Pakistan became after that and most of that had to do with the events in Afghanistan.

Other forum members are welcome to contribute on how Pakistan can help Afghanistan and its people.

Who will pay for the reconstruction this time? I doubt that the NATO countries would offer more than refugee resettlement. Besides, countries that offer aid typically insists that their own companies are responsible for the actual work.

China can offer payments for mined resources. This is the only option that I can think of.

 

[Meengla]

Who will pay for the reconstruction this time? I doubt that the NATO countries would offer more than refugee resettlement. Besides, countries that offer aid typically insists that their own companies are responsible for the actual work.
China can offer payments for mined resources. This is the only option that I can think of.

As I stated above, I don't know much about economic affairs. My guess would be to use surplus agriculture and construction material from Pakistan to at least start helping and to have Pashto speaking Pakistani technocrats fill critical gaps in the Afghan service industry.
BTW, Afghanistan may be mostly barren but it is also a relatively empty country for its geographic area and also has large rivers. Afghanistan should be more than mining.

 

[aziqbal]

this is my view

Taliban stays in power now for decades to come

Qatar, Pakistan and Turkey are alleged with Afghanistan

China provides huge investment in infrastructure

Taliban also reform to to control Afghanistan in correct manner

this is what I hope for

 

[FuturePAF]

For all the NGOs that have worked in Afghanistan over the last 20 years, leaving now just because there is a change in government (except in the case of their own safety), is abandoning the Afghan people. They need to be shamed into upholding the commitment they made to the Afghan people.

Pakistan should look at supporting bring back Afghan institutions, especially those effected by a brain drain, with its own workers, some in person, and possibly some working remotely in back offices in Pakistan. This would help coordinate operations and provide services faster, mitigating the effects of the removal of local and foreign workers that supported the former regime.

 

[ziaulislam]

China is the only country that can do it
But more important is legitmacy..and that is something which will be tough

 

[313ghazi]

This is a massive economic opportunity for Pakistan. Fully expect our business community to squander it of course. People from 1000km away on the far side of China will reap the economic benefits whilst we will not be able to dominate the supply of cement and bricks whilst producing it all in Peshawar.

 

[Meengla]

China is the only country that can do it
But more important is legitmacy..and that is something which will be tough

I think the Taliban are like the North Korea govt: Would want to cooperate with other countries but would not compromise a lot on their core issues.

 

[TNT]

Recovery of Afghanistan is possible but will be painful. The first and most important milestone is peace. Business will flourish foremostly if there is peace and stability. Taliban seems to be best capable of assuring peace in the country.

This time over, Pakistan have learned its lesson, only a stable and prosperous Afghanistan helps Pakistan achieve prosperity. This is why Pakistan is tactfully taking along powers like China, Russia, Turkey, Qatar. Pakistan is also approaching GCC countries to help rebuild Afghanistan. Afghanistan borders 6 countries, among them huge countries like China, Pakistan and Iran, assures ample opportunities of trade and exchange. Afghanistan have rich natural resources and that will be key to kick-starting the economy. They also produce top quality fruits and dry fruits.

In the short term, they will require assistance and im sure China, Russia, Qatar, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi arabia, all will help in some form. For longer term, Turkey have a plan to connect Afghanistan to Azerbaijan via Turkmenistan and Pakistan will connect Afghanistan to gawadar and opening it up for central asian states.
Technical manpower will also not be a big problem as Pakistan have ample educated young population that need opportunities. Hope for a good future for the whole region.

 

[Goritoes]

There won't be any because Afghan's are no Europeans, America wanted to have its hold on EU to counter the USSR that is why they brought Marshall Plan in the first place, Afghans have no value to Americans nor they are educated and advance like Europeans which US can take advantage off, so they will leave Afghanistan to fend for itself and also sanction it because of Taliban rule and once again Afghanistan will be in chaos.

 

[Falconless]

Something that should have been implemented in late 2002, when the Taliban were all but destroyed.