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Over 40 years of war, Afghanistan today is beset by a combination of brief ceasefires, bombings, localised offensives, and meandering negotiations. In such an unstable environment, the question of actually rebuilding Afghanistan may appear fanciful, abstract, or at the very least peripheral next to the issues of counter-terrorism and humanitarian catastrophe.

In no case can one link the country’s restoration with the achievement of unrealisable political tasks, such as restructuring the government and pursuing democratisation in a Western manner, as happened, for example, in Iraq after 2003. We must begin with implementable, targeted measures designed to improve the living conditions of ordinary people.

 

It is essential to concentrate on those sectors that will be crucial for every day Afghan people, not only in the short term but also in the long term: infrastructure, energy, water, transport, as well as agriculture, education, and health care. Investing in these sectors will be necessary for those who did not leave their homes and those who were forced to flee – either to safer parts of the country or abroad.

The challenge is daunting, especially—though not exclusively—in non-government-held and highly-contested areas. Any honest conversation about rebuilding in Afghanistan raises difficult political and social-economic questions. Reconstruction in a country in or emerging from a zero-sum 40-year war is unavoidably a political mission. Especially when you consider the current state of the government with its rampant corruption and warlord-ism and the preference for rewarding loyalist communities for their sacrifices. Any rebuilding would have to engage local actors as partners and owners of a fair and equitable reconstruction effort, where the money would delivery visible benefits to communities.

 

“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about”

— Margaret J. Wheatley

 

A localised rebuilding strategy would not rule out a broader one further down the line that benefits a more significant number of Afghans and strengthens the Afghan government's legitimacy. Development strategies working with legitimate charities to meet local needs by empowering local actors are compelling because they are scalable and replicable across Afghanistan, if and when conditions allow. Crucially, functioning public services and provision of necessities at the local level are likely to strengthen political legitimacy and trust between rulers and populations and among the population itself, contributing to Afghanistan's larger stability.

A long-term rebuilding plan would eventually have to reconnect local economies with a central government, even if ground-up work is emphasised in the shorter term. This is where charities can play a crucial part. They are a great way in creating new projects and initiatives to help people to help themselves. Rather than a government-led approach that dilutes the funds by the time they get to local communities, this will go directly to communities and people that need it the most. It will deliver an array of projects that will drive immediate impact; daily essentials, empowering widows and orphans, and providing vocational training for local communities and creating a platform where local communities can become self-sustainable.

 

Today, several charities are working on the ground across Afghanistan towns and cities. They are shaped by the needs of people in different geographies and circumstances. Led by local communities and are for local people. Therefore, it is vital to engage with local charities more and understand their strategies and support them in transforming from emergency responses and early recovery initiatives to long-term and sustainable projects that can deliver a difference to Afghan lives.

 

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