IRIN, October 5, 2009

In Brief: Afghanistan slipping down UN human development index

Afghanistan received over USD 36 billion of international aid for development and reconstruction over the past eight years, according to the Afghan government.

Afghans are plagued by conflict, poverty and lack of socio-economic opportunities (Photo: Salih/IRIN)

Despite billions of dollars of aid over the past eight years Afghanistan has slipped down the latest UN human development index which ranks it 181 out of 182 countries, with only Niger lower.

The UN Development Programme has been ranking countries on the basis of access to health and education, life expectancy and living standards since 1990, but the only other time the country was ranked globally was in 2007 when it was listed as fifth from bottom.

Member of parliament and development expert Shukria Barakzai told IRIN of four reasons for inhibited development: “The worsening conflict; poor investment in human development areas; wasteful and ineffective international assistance; and a lack of capacity to implement development programmes.” The UN and other aid agencies also say weak coordination among donors and implementers has hampered aid effectiveness.

Afghanistan received over US$36 billion of international aid for development and reconstruction over the past eight years, according to the Afghan government.

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