Yesterday, Jan 28th, saw the conference on Afghanistan draw support for increased transparency measures.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick tells government in Sierra Leone that enhancing transparency is ‘fundamental’ as they use aid to secure 4.7% growth this year.  Expected to recover from a ‘blip’ last year due to 30% decrease in diamond exports, Finance Minister Samura Kamara says 2010 will see ‘massive improvement’.

Senior diplomats from 20 nations met in London to decide conditions for financial and security aid to Yemen. The aim is that it will result in a ‘political and economic overhaul’ by the San’a governement.

Prepared in advance of the London conference on Afghanistan, this briefing paper outlines ‘The Dangers of Militarized Aid in Afghanistan’. It argues that the overemphasis on military issues in Afghanistan will undermine ‘genuine development and good government’. The situation must be rectified; not simply in view of the human cost, but also becuase ‘poverty, unemployment and weak, corrupt government’ increase the chance of conflict.

To read the paper, click here.

At Publish What You Fund it is exactly the processes of recipient-donor alignment and involvement which we advocate; precisely the factor illustrated to improve the developmental impact of aid in ‘Untying Aid: Is It Working?’