In Afghanistan, a Threat of Plunder

Afghanistan’s poor security situation, combined with reports of enormous untapped mineral wealth, could unleash a tragic rush to exploitation, environmental destruction and civil conflict. Without good governance, Afghanistan’s lithium and gold may do little to improve Afghani daily life – as was the case with gold in the Congo, oil in Nigeria, or diamonds in Sierra Leone. In contrast, Botswana and Malaysia manage wealth from natural resources for the common good, explains Paul Collier, Oxford economics professor, in an opinion essay for the New York Times. Steps outlined for ensuring that natural resources deliver long-term benefits for citizens rather than enrich outside corporate interests include maintaining transparency in plans and deals, retaining ownership over the deposits, gradually conducting auctions and broadening local participation rather than narrowly distributing funds to a few ministries. As competition intensifies for rare minerals, the world’s poorest nations, not yet explored or prospected, risk chaos and plunder. – YaleGlobal