Agenda for Afghans

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Byline: James Morrison, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

AGENDA FOR AFGHANS

Britain's minister for foreign aid is calling for a new agenda for action in Afghanistan to promote the national and local governments, coordinate international aid, create jobs and ensure security.

It is often forgotten that Afghanistan remains a desperately poor and unjust country, Douglas Alexander, secretary for international development, told the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on visit to Washington last week.

A legacy of poverty, civil war and warlordism, coupled with the current Taliban and al Qaeda insurgency, means over half of Afghans live below the poverty …