Power, Politics and Development in Afghanistan: Introduction

POLITICS AND DEVELOPMENT ARE CLOSELY intertwined in Afghanistan.For understandable reasons, most commentary on Afghanistan has tended to focus on the ongoing insurgency;themyriadpowerstrugglesunderpinning theinternationalstate-buildingenterprisearemuchlessoftenthefocusof academicstudy.Whendevelopmentpoliciesdocomeunderthespotlight, theapproachisoftenhighlytechnocratic,insufficientlytakingintoaccount thepoliticalforcesthatdeterminehowprogramsareconceived,perceived, andreceivedbyvariousactorsateverylevel,andhowthesefactorsdetermine whatimpacttheyultimatelyhave.Withinalively“aidmarketplace,”governmentministries,UNagencies,NGOs,andprivatecompaniesjostlefor funding,control,prestige,andinfluence.Donorsandthecentralgovernmentareengagedinongoingnegotiationsregardingtheconditionalityand alignmentofaid,whereissuesoftrust,capacity,andvestedinterestsplay pivotalroles.Thebalanceofpowerbetweenthecentralgovernmentandits peripheriescontinuestobehotlydebated.Debatesabouthowtodefine, prioritize,andaddresscriticalneeds,aswellashowtomeasurethesuccessor failureofdevelopmentinitiatives,areallstronglycontestedandinfluenced byorganizationalinterests.