Six years after the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan is a long way from political stability and economic progress. The decline of state infl uence continues, especially in rural areas; because of the security situation, aid organisations are drastically cutting back their programmes and military considerations are taking on overriding importance.

Dr. Hans-Joachim Preuss
Secretary General, Deutsche Welthungerhilfe
Bad Godesberg, Germany
HansJoachim.Preuss@dwhh.de