The war in Afghanistan is having an effect on peacekeeping in Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone and it's neighbors. While Afghanistan is getting 52,000 tons of food a month at the moment, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea (with the same population as Afghanistan) are only getting about 9,000 tons. Afghanistan has a shorter growing season than the African nations, and a drought as well, but the African nations are definitely getting put on the back burner. Fewer relief resources (people, money, equipment) are planned for Africa, as more of these limited resources head for Afghanistan. This is possible partly because the fighting in Sierra Leone has gone on for so long that few in the region are eager to make enough fuss to become a worldwide headline again. But local aid workers fear that a shortage of goodies to pass out might encourage the men with guns to go back into business.
