Six years after the Bonn Agreement Afghanistan still needs more effective aid and better rural development

“Millions of Afghans still face severe hardship, comparable to sub-Saharan Africa”
Published: 5 December 2007

On the sixth anniversary of the signing of the Bonn Agreement, the foundation of post-Taliban Afghanistan, Oxfam International says urgent action is needed if Afghanistan is to avoid a humanitarian disaster.

The international aid agency says progress has been made in Afghanistan but millions of Afghans still face severe hardship, comparable to sub-Saharan Africa.

Matt Waldman, Oxfam policy advisor in Afghanistan, said: "Peace in Afghanistan cannot be achieved without more determined efforts to reduce poverty.

“The priority is to promote rural development, through building the capabilities of the state at local level and directing more resources to communities.

“Urgent measures must be taken to enhance aid effectiveness, and to increase support for agriculture, on which the majority of Afghans depend." 

Notes to Editors

1. The Bonn Agreement was signed on 5 Dec 2001, the first agreement to help re-build the Afghan state after two decades of war and the overthrow of the Taliban in the autumn of 2001.

2. The Bonn Agreement led to the creation of the current Afghan state and its institutions.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact:
Sean Kenny (UK), +44 7881 655 715
Matt Waldman (Afghanistan), + 93 700 278 838