Mitchell told the Politics Show he had been looking “very carefully” at the way aid is being spent in Afghanistan. Such evaluation is essential to ensure future funds are put to best effect, but we do not currently have enough information on which to base such important decisions.

Notwithstanding the problem of defining “well-spent aid”, disclosed aid information needs to be far more comprehensive and timely; at present the information is at best incomplete and out-of-date, providing a weak basis for future funding decisions. In addition, the information should be readily available both to officials within aid agencies, and to the general public in donor and recipient countries to whom their governments are accountable.