It's not a lack of money that's the problem for Afghan people, it's how the aid they have already been given is spent, or stolen - Guardian

If Afghanistan suffers from anything, it's certainly not a lack of donor conferences. The country has clocked up on average one a year since the fall of the Taliban, raising some $40bn dollars along the way. --- At each one, delegates announce that Afghanistan is at a critical juncture, pledge it will not be forgotten by the international community and vow that we are well on the way to full Afghan ownership. A few billion dollars are usually donated too.

But Kabul on 20 July is not going to be another pledging event, we are told. This time, it's going to be different. This time, we are going to witness an Afghan-led event, a national development road map presented to 70 international actors and donors. The major issues are handing over responsibilities from international to local forces, the fight against corruption and talking to the Taliban. ... - Aid and corruption in Afghanistan Daniella Peled Comment is ...

Foreign aid diverted to stabilise Afghanistan