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CNN Live Today

Afghans Still Waiting for Aid

Aired September 04, 2002 - 13:56   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In Afghanistan, the Taliban is out of power and many refugees have returned. But, the international aid promised to the war-ravaged nation has not materialized as expected.
CNN's Christiane Amanpour reports the lack of assistance is raising concerns about Afghanistan's stability.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A rare epidemic of hope broke out in Afghanistan with the fall of the Taliban. Kabul is abuzz with activity. So why is the country's minister of reconstruction taking regular walkabouts trying to dampen those hopes?

(on camera): What are they saying to all of these people that you are talking to?

AMIN FARHANG, AFGHAN MINISTER OF RECONSTRUCTION (through translator): They say they need jobs, and I'm telling them the assistance the world promised them has not come yet. But they need to see reconstruction projects start to feel their lives slowly improving.

AMANPOUR (voice-over): After 23 years of war, roads are Afghanistan's number one priority, to reconnect the country, revive the economy, and get people into the labor force, not the militia's forces.

In January, the U.S. and the rest of the world promised nearly $5 billion over five years. To date, just over a third of this year's portion has been delivered, and not one big development project has started. This modest effort by the German government is the only road repair in Kabul.

(on camera): Back in the '50s and '60s, the United States built some of Afghanistan's best roads and highways. At its height, there were 3,000 kilometers of paved road, but now only about 10 percent of that is usable. And remember, this country is landlocked. That is why roads are such a priority. Without them, there can be no proper commercial activity.

(voice-over): Setting up a national water and electricity system is also vital, but no major work has started on that either. The only clean drinking water in Kabul is pumped out by the American aid agency CARE, and then to only a quarter of the city's residents.

The U.S. government funds this project, but the money runs out at the end of the month. Ten months after the Taliban fell, aid agencies and Afghan government officials are appealing to the world to make its rhetoric a reality. In part, to ensure the very survival of the pro- Western government.

DR. ABDULLAH, AFGHAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Look at the threat that was posed because of instability in Afghanistan to the rest of the world. Look at what happened on September 11. None of us would like to see that happen once again.

AMANPOUR: For now, people say they are patient. But everyone wonders just how long they will tolerate improvements coming stroke by stroke, wire by jury-rigged wire.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Kabul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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