The World Bank’s Economic Update On Afghanistan

[Admin Khan]

Here’s what the World Bank is reporting in it’s most recent economic update on Afghanistan:
Economic Expanision

• GDP growth between 2009 and 2010 is estimated to have reached 22.5%, a record since 2003-4. A strong rebound in agriculture (53%), helped mainly by ample and well-distributed rainfall is behind the surge in growth.
• Wheat production nearly doubled to 5 million tonnes compared to a preceding five year average of 3.4 million tonnes. Services continued to grow in double digits, led by government services, financial sector and transport services. Mining is booming as well with near 30% growth in the last two years.
• Afghanistan also achieved a remarkable surge in domestic revenues during 2009/10, collecting 53% more than the previous year and 16% more than budgeted. Improved tax administration underpins much of the revenue increase. Domestic revenue collection increased by 68% and custom duties surged by 48%.
• Robust growth and low inflation has reduced poverty in Afghanistan.

Economic Outlook
The outlook for the current fiscal year, 2010/11, is favorable, with GDP growth slightly higher than 8% and mild inflation, under 5%. As agriculture falls back to normal growth, service sectors will once again provide much of the growth in the coming year, benefiting from government- and donor-spending.
The mining sector will continue to grow vigorously, as the construction phase of the Aynak copper mine intensifies. It is likely that the growth outlook might be revised up if development spending picks up after the Kabul conference, scheduled for July 2010. At that conference the government will be announcing implementation plans for the London Agenda.
On the inflation front, there appears to be little cause for worry, though disinflation appears to have ended. The prospects for cereal production are good, with winter and spring crops developing under generally favorable conditions, according to FAO assessments. Some susceptibility to imported prices remains, as even in a good year about one-sixth of cereals are imported. Non-food prices are rising, but at a modest pace, below 5%.

[Max]

man this is good news, but do you know where all this money is gonna go ? i know

[pir_Rokhan]

There is rarely any positive projection of the achievements of the Karzai govt due to the vested interests of the imperialist powers both in the neighbourhood and abraod. Still this is very encouraging report and we hope that Afghanistan will be on her path to progress and properity with the institutionalisation of the country. Nations might be destroyed with a couple of atmoic bombs however the real challenging task is to build a nation.In the present circumstances when Afghanistan has gone through three decades of war ,it is foolish to expect ideal perfect democratic and transparency which is not even there in the oldest,strongest and biggest democracies of UK,USA and India. The reasonable approach is to have a mature and optimistic approach with an intentions and passio to build gran Afghanistan with the help of world community both muslims and non muslim near and abraod not only for our bright future but also for the peace and stability of the south asia and the world at large.

[Max]

^

Afghanistan’s Corruption Cripples Economy, UN Says

Karzai's corrupt sibling compromises the mission in Afghanistan

[pir_Rokhan]

^

Afghanistan’s Corruption Cripples Economy, UN Says

Karzai's corrupt sibling compromises the mission in Afghanistan

Do read what I wrote above too. It is for this type of Idealisation that I suggested to the Afghans to keep their hopes and expectations low and appreciate where Afghans stand.We still seem to be living in the old times and not facing the real world which is not going to harm anyone else except us. Again please do not wrongly conclude that I approve of any corruption, misappropriation or red tapism.

[Max]

its a long weary road bro, i think in 2006 the total remittances equalled 3.3 billion USD, hopefully that number went up..it is encouraging, but we also have to look at the fact that next to somalia, Afghhanistan is officially the most corrupt country in the world.

[Admin Khan]

its a long weary road bro, i think in 2006 the total remittances equalled 3.3 billion USD, hopefully that number went up..it is encouraging, but we also have to look at the fact that next to somalia, Afghhanistan is officially the most corrupt country in the world.

I think both Pakistan and Afghanistan are corrupt. In fact, I've witnessed corruption in both countries. How much does a Pakistani have to pay in bribes alone to gain a passport?

Let alone little services like "Mera phone kaam nahein kar raha haan"
PTCL guy picks up, "Baaji, ham keso ko be jaingay"

Month passes no one shows up, When you visit the office, pay a bit money things get done, the situation on hand gets rectified. A lot of things go unnoticed in those two countries. A lot of crimes goes unreported in Pakistan, In fact in Karachi no one trusts the police department. All of its inhabitants think they are involved in crime scenes themselves. Afghanistan is now just as worse however.



As far as the economic update is concerned, At least something is happening.

[Max]

Pakistan there is a lot of corruption but in Pakistan's case the percapita income is enough to support the people, in pakistan people make the roughly the same amount of money as people do in India.

Anyways im talkin about Afghanistan, our CPI its at 1.1..same as somalia, Pakistan's CPI is at 2.4 India's was at 2.4 in 2002 now they have brought it upto 3 something

The lower the CPI, the deeper the ditch we're in...Pakistan is only 0.2 points short of being classified in the same group as India and thats all with a corrupt government like zardari and a war which has cost them a lot of money. Afghanistan isnt even included in the percapita listings of world bank

Smuggling and trafficking is strangling the economy, the government doesnt earn jack and all the goods go out of the country with ZERO return to the people and the government

But guess who does grab all that money from the trade ? currently that post is held by Karzai's brother

[Admin Khan]

I know plenty of Karzai's personally, none of them seem very happy with Ahmad Wali.

[Max]

it doesnt matter man when he goes someone else is gonna take over, right now the entire government is full of thugs ex-rapists are commanding the "Afghan national Army"

[Max]

yeah but those intellectuals are just sitting there, they can write these occasional blogs but they are too afraid t come to their country and stand for the people..we need a leader we need these people to "come" to Afghanistan, they're blogs, they're writings they're useless to the nation unless they can come here..rally up people

We dont even have a direction right now, we have no objective..ask anybody about the problems of afghanistan..they'll be like "oh we have to start from educatiooon"..they dont even bother to think that education is least of this nation's woes..There have been great empires in the past were they all educated no ? First they came together, they resolved they're differences they united, the defined they're problems they kicked out the foreigners and then they began development

To me these intellectuals are as good as karzai is to Afghanistan.

[Max]

^ They have been doing it for over 30 years now..how many people in Afghanistan haev internet ? how many can read english ? how many tribal leaders do you think wake up and read an "intellectual's" blog ?

we need people on the ground, not behind their laptops

[MazloomyarMaseed]

Afghanistan become in its state due to Outsiders playing politics of Interests, In regards to Pakistan, India would have nuked it a very long time ago if Nawaz didnt beg clinton to stop India from attacking, Pakistan and Afghanistan can never be compared, Afghanistan was used by outsiders for their interests while Pakistan played Muslim brother and earn billions of dollars from America for its involvement in the desctruction of Afghanistan.

And in regards to Pakistan feeding most of its population, most of its so called money is given to them in Aid, and i truely doubt that aid is given to the poor that is why Pakistanis were so scared of the Kerry lugar Bill, Pakistan can not be trusted with a single cent.

[MazloomyarMaseed]

^ They have been doing it for over 30 years now..how many people in Afghanistan haev internet ? how many can read english ? how many tribal leaders do you think wake up and read an "intellectual's" blog ?

we need people on the ground, not behind their laptops

You speak as if Pakistan is some Educated Super power,I also find it very amusing how you always avoid the question of ISI, you claim Saudi and America destroyed Afghanistan but you ignore ISI figures such as col iman and others and their role in Afghanistan.

If you come to the UK, you will see how intellectually smart, educated and focused people Pakistanis are, Hardly any of them can Speak English, i know this from experience.

[Max]

herat has a total population of 350,000 and all of the electricity they're is being supplied by Iran..All of the infratsructure in that city is due to Iran.

lahore alone has a population of6,485,175

Pakistan right now has more Nuclear reactors producing energy then rest of muslim countries combined and they have that iran gas pipeline deal, thats one thing im proud of them..There was a huge energy shortfall in the country and they have been remarkable about cutting it down..In just over four months they cut down the energy shortfall by 4000MW.

Still Pakistan and Afghanistan shouldnt be compared, Pakistan has to supply to 166 million people as compared to Afghanistan where you only have 29 million people and lets not forget the industries that need energy

The ongoing electricity loadshedding duration has dropped significantly with power shortfall coming down to 900MW only.

The overall shortfall, which normally lingers around 4000 to 5000 for most of the simmer season, is down to 900MW only due to rise in power production, courtesy IPPs and hydel projects.

The gap between demand and supply has narrowed because of the increase in hydel and IPPs electricity production.

According to Pepco, current power generation is 13280MW against the total demand of 14200 MW. This relief has also been transferred to the consumers.

Meanwhile, Karachi is also regularly getting 600 MW of agreed amount of electricity.