Publication

This paper describes the experience of program implementation and procurement in Afghanistan and sets out lessons for other countries coming out of prolonged fragility and conflict. Procurement is typically the greatest source of both delay and discontent between governments of fragile states and their multilateral partners. The author sets out the work of the World Bank in Afghanistan when a new government was established in December 2001. He discusses the somewhat different approach of the largest bilateral donor, the United States (US): the World Bank’s policies required assistance to go through the government budget, whereas the bulk of US assistance went through parallel channels.