Post-war boom for builders

By ROSS DAVIES
Updated:

 

THE conflict in Afghanistan could create multi-billion pound reconstruction opportunities bigger than those which followed the Balkans conflict and at least as big as the huge development programme that came after the Gulf War, British business calculate.

W hat is more, said the British Consultants and Contractors Bureau, Britain approaches the post-war reconstruction in Afghanistan and surrounding countries much better equipped to take advantage of commercial opportunities than after the Gulf conflict.

Then British firms were wrongfooted by US and French rivals, whose military and government aid agencies were more geared to push their national business interests once the shooting ended.

European spending on post-war reconstruction in the Balkans is expected to be at least £3.3bn.

Figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development suggest that 1995-1999 aid to Middle East totalled $14.6bn (£10.3bn). Aid to the Balkans was less than half that. Afghanistan received $923m and Pakistan $4bn.

BCCB's 300-plus private and public sector members in construction, engineering and a wide range of systems consultancy have export-led for the International Development /Trade Partners UK taskforce, which the Government sends to the region when reconstruction starts. The opportunities for British firms will extend far beyond Afghanistan - even if the allies do not go for Saddam Hussein in Iraq - the BCCB board considers, because today's coalition is as broad as that during the Gulf War. The result of fighting terrorism and the subsequent 'hearts and minds' campaign to which Prime Minster Tony Blair has committed Britain, BCCB believes, will be extensive British, US and nongovernmental agency overseas aid and development work.

International Development Secretary Clare Short sits in the War Cabinet, and has long argued that as poverty breeds extremism, redevelopment is a key to spiking terrorist guns.

There is likely to be help for neighbouring States such as Iran and Pakistan, initially to deal with refugee problems, but then to reward coalition member-countries with structural development projects.

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