World Bank backs funding via government

The World Bank has lent its support to the idea that more of the international aid Afghanistan gets should be channeled through the government. A report issued by the bank says the international community ought to cooperate more closely with the Afghan government by allowing it to manage financial affairs and development programmes. According to the report, 75 per cent of international aid so far has been spent without input from the government. The World Bank’s suggestion comes in of the run-up to a major donor conference on Afghanistan which will take place in London on January 31-February 1. The Afghan government has long been pushing for aid to come directly through government channels.