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AfghanistanAfghanistan is a landlocked country bordered by China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Pakistan. The majority of the estimated population of 25 million are Sunni Muslims, although there is a sizeable Shia Muslim community. Afghanistan has several ethnic groups, the largest being the Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazaras and Turkmens. The regional power dynamic has led the various neighbouring countries as well as the major powers to support different Afghan groups. Afghanistan is one of the world's poorest and most underdeveloped countries. The country has suffered invasion and civil war since 1978. Natural disasters have added to its vulnerability. Human rights have been constantly violated by state and non-state actors, not least the rights of women. While a large number of Afghans have been repatriated since 2002, by early 2003 an estimated 3.7 million Afghans remained in Pakistan and Iran, while 0.7 million are internally displaced within Afghanistan. The Afghan Transitional Authority (ATA) organised a Constitutional Loya Jirga by late 2003 while national elections are to take place by early 2004. Confidence among donors has gradually been established through the presentation of a National Development Framework and Budget, and the use of international auditing firms for procurement. The establishment of a national army has so far been less successful, and thus the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) continues to secure the capital Kabul while US-led military forces are in the process of establishing Provincial Regional Teams to provide security as well as aid coordination in the countryside. Following the fall of the Taliban in late 2001 a number of military commanders appointed themselves as provincial governors, gaining income and influence from the legal and illegal trade that crosses the Afghan border. While not directly opposing the ATA, many of the governors have established significant autonomy, buttressed by private armies and income from, for example, drug production. The international community has pledged 4.5 billion US dollars over a five-year period for the rehabilitation and development of Afghanistan. This is partly channelled through internationally managed trust funds, with a major portion provided as bilateral aid or through UN organisations. The ATA has emphasised the use of private companies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for the implementation of rehabilitation projects, fearing charges of corruption if such large amounts were to be handled by the various ministries. Links:
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