Global Economic Intersection
Advertisement
  • Home
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Politics
  • Investments
    • Invest in Amazon $250
  • Cryptocurrency
    • Best Bitcoin Accounts
    • Bitcoin Robot
      • Quantum AI
      • Bitcoin Era
      • Bitcoin Aussie System
      • Bitcoin Profit
      • Bitcoin Code
      • eKrona Cryptocurrency
      • Bitcoin Up
      • Bitcoin Prime
      • Yuan Pay Group
      • Immediate Profit
      • BitQH
      • Bitcoin Loophole
      • Crypto Boom
      • Bitcoin Treasure
      • Bitcoin Lucro
      • Bitcoin System
      • Oil Profit
      • The News Spy
      • Bitcoin Buyer
      • Bitcoin Inform
      • Immediate Edge
      • Bitcoin Evolution
      • Cryptohopper
      • Ethereum Trader
      • BitQL
      • Quantum Code
      • Bitcoin Revolution
      • British Trade Platform
      • British Bitcoin Profit
    • Bitcoin Reddit
    • Celebrities
      • Dr. Chris Brown Bitcoin
      • Teeka Tiwari Bitcoin
      • Russell Brand Bitcoin
      • Holly Willoughby Bitcoin
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Politics
  • Investments
    • Invest in Amazon $250
  • Cryptocurrency
    • Best Bitcoin Accounts
    • Bitcoin Robot
      • Quantum AI
      • Bitcoin Era
      • Bitcoin Aussie System
      • Bitcoin Profit
      • Bitcoin Code
      • eKrona Cryptocurrency
      • Bitcoin Up
      • Bitcoin Prime
      • Yuan Pay Group
      • Immediate Profit
      • BitQH
      • Bitcoin Loophole
      • Crypto Boom
      • Bitcoin Treasure
      • Bitcoin Lucro
      • Bitcoin System
      • Oil Profit
      • The News Spy
      • Bitcoin Buyer
      • Bitcoin Inform
      • Immediate Edge
      • Bitcoin Evolution
      • Cryptohopper
      • Ethereum Trader
      • BitQL
      • Quantum Code
      • Bitcoin Revolution
      • British Trade Platform
      • British Bitcoin Profit
    • Bitcoin Reddit
    • Celebrities
      • Dr. Chris Brown Bitcoin
      • Teeka Tiwari Bitcoin
      • Russell Brand Bitcoin
      • Holly Willoughby Bitcoin
No Result
View All Result
Global Economic Intersection
No Result
View All Result

Afghanistan Election: With Kabul in Lockdown, We Watch and Wait

admin by admin
May 18, 2014
in Uncategorized
0
0
SHARES
3
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

by Liza Schuster, The Conversation

The date for the second round of the Afghan Presidential elections has just been announced – June 14. It will be a run off between Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzi. It can’t come soon enough for those whose business has been put on hold. Over the past few months I have become used to being the only guest in the restaurants around Kabul. The international community is still on lock-down – no one is allowed out of their compounds so I cannot persuade friends, Afghan or foreign, to join me, but I don’t lack for company. The waiters are bored and happy to chat.

Afghans are not shy about talking about salaries so I know that many have not been paid for months – some not since the Serena attack in March, others since the attack on the Lebanese Taverna in January. But still they turn up to work. As Harun, 18 years old and illiterate, commented:

“What else can we do? It is not like we can get another job. We just have to hope that after the election the guests will come back and the boss will be able to pay us the money he owes us.”

Challenges ahead

The new president – at the moment most bets are on Abdullah Abdullah – will face economic challenges at least as, if not more, daunting than the political and security challenges. The unemployment rate in Afghanistan is estimated at 47% for 15-24 year olds and underemployment estimated by the World Bank to be 53% of the labour force. Child labour is endemic and poverty and poor child protection measures mean that some children are forced into bonded labour or sexual exploitation.

This fragile economy at the mercy of insurgent violence and a corrupt and often incompetent political elite has been further rocked by devastating floods in the north of the country, which have brought down mountainsides and villages, drowned hundreds of people, large tracts agricultural land, and destroyed crops and livelihoods.

On Wednesday, the Afghan Chamber of Commerce warned that growing insecurity in Kabul, Balkh and Nangarhar was undermining economic growth.

Over the past couple of years and hundreds of conversations with Afghans planning to leave the country, I have been struck by how often the threat of persecution and violence is seamlessly blended with the urgent need to find work and provide for one’s family to be expressed simply as “there is no future here”.

It was this pessimism about Afghanistan’s future that wrong-footed me and many commentators during the first round of the election. The sudden wave of hope that drowned cynicism and carried so many people to the polls took many by surprise.

However, the accusations (and evidence) of fraud in the less secure provinces, the disqualification of almost 250,000 of the 7m votes cast, the 40 days that have elapsed since the first round and the delays in announcing the second round have seen some of that hope and optimism ebb away.

Influence peddling

As the also-rans lined up behind the two front runners, the jockeying for positions in government was clearly about short-term access to influence and wealth rather than addressing political or human security. The belief that no one would want to risk current wealth by a return to violence and political instability seems misplaced.

Suggestions that a coalition between Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani might form a partnership unifying the country and pooling their skills were met with rueful smiles of disbelief – not even Ashraf Ghani’s most ardent supporters believed he would or could put his ego aside for the good of the country. And yet however immoral, shameless and unscrupulous Afghanistan’s political elite are, they have not yet taken up arms against each other.

For the moment, the political system is holding. The delays are stretching it and legitimacy, but enough people want it to hold. It is not possible to speak of an “Afghan perspective” – like people everywhere, Afghans are a mixed bunch. Some are planting magnetic bombs under police cars and firing rockets into the airport. Some are forcing their daughters into burqas and marriages and their children to beg.

But others are working 12-hour days to send their children to school, studying at university, cleaning the drains and the streets, getting married, searching for work, investing in telcommunications and shopping malls, and generously sharing hospitality and laughter with strange foreign women.

While the elites play fast and loose with security, ordinary Afghans continue to build the future because as Harun, waiting for his wages, said: “What choice do we have?” It is that patience and fortitude that will help rebuild Afghanistan.

The ConversationLiza Schuster does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Previous Post

John Oliver Commentary on India Election

Next Post

Trefis: Highlights Week Ending 16 May 2014

Related Posts

What Are BRC-30 Tokens?
Econ Intersect News

What Are BRC-30 Tokens?

by John Wanguba
June 2, 2023
XRP Explosive Boom Results In Record-Breaking Address Activity
Economics

XRP’s Explosive Boom Results In Record-Breaking Address Activity

by John Wanguba
June 1, 2023
What To Consider When Evaluating Low-Code And No-Code Platforms
Business

What To Consider When Evaluating Low-Code And No-Code Platforms

by John Wanguba
June 1, 2023
Crypto Bear Phase Gone, ‘Explosive’ Bull Market Imminent – Veteran Investor
Economics

Crypto Bear Phase Gone, ‘Explosive’ Bull Market Imminent – Veteran Investor

by John Wanguba
June 1, 2023
Only 2 Exchanges Registered In Hong Kong As Crypto Ban Is Removed
Economics

Only 2 Exchanges Registered In Hong Kong As Crypto Ban Is Removed

by John Wanguba
May 31, 2023
Next Post

Trefis: Highlights Week Ending 16 May 2014

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Browse by Category

  • Business
  • Econ Intersect News
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Politics
  • Uncategorized

Browse by Tags

adoption altcoins bank banking banks Binance Bitcoin Bitcoin adoption Bitcoin market blockchain BTC business China crypto crypto adoption cryptocurrency crypto exchange crypto market crypto regulation decentralized finance DeFi Elon Musk ETH Ethereum Europe Federal Reserve finance FTX inflation investment market analysis Metaverse NFT nonfungible tokens oil market price analysis recession regulation Russia stock market technology Tesla the UK the US Twitter

Archives

  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • August 2010
  • August 2009

Categories

  • Business
  • Econ Intersect News
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Politics
  • Uncategorized
Global Economic Intersection

After nearly 11 years of 24/7/365 operation, Global Economic Intersection co-founders Steven Hansen and John Lounsbury are retiring. The new owner, a global media company in London, is in the process of completing the set-up of Global Economic Intersection files in their system and publishing platform. The official website ownership transfer took place on 24 August.

Categories

  • Business
  • Econ Intersect News
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Politics
  • Uncategorized

Recent Posts

  • What Are BRC-30 Tokens?
  • XRP’s Explosive Boom Results In Record-Breaking Address Activity
  • What To Consider When Evaluating Low-Code And No-Code Platforms

© Copyright 2021 EconIntersect - Economic news, analysis and opinion.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Bitcoin Robot
    • Bitcoin Profit
    • Bitcoin Code
    • Quantum AI
    • eKrona Cryptocurrency
    • Bitcoin Up
    • Bitcoin Prime
    • Yuan Pay Group
    • Immediate Profit
    • BitIQ
    • Bitcoin Loophole
    • Crypto Boom
    • Bitcoin Era
    • Bitcoin Treasure
    • Bitcoin Lucro
    • Bitcoin System
    • Oil Profit
    • The News Spy
    • British Bitcoin Profit
    • Bitcoin Trader
  • Bitcoin Reddit

© Copyright 2021 EconIntersect - Economic news, analysis and opinion.

en English
ar Arabicbg Bulgarianda Danishnl Dutchen Englishfi Finnishfr Frenchde Germanel Greekit Italianja Japaneselv Latvianno Norwegianpl Polishpt Portuguesero Romanianes Spanishsv Swedish