Policy Brief 61
Key messages • Aid agencies working in Afghanistan and Somalia have generally been treated with suspicion by Al-Shabaab and the Taliban. These suspicions derive from the belief that agencies are not primarily interested in helping local people, and are acting as spies or profiteers. • The potentially dangerous consequences of such negative perceptions underscore the importance of aid agencies repeatedly, clearly and consistently communicating their goals and values with interlocutors at all levels of these armed groups. • It is not enough for aid agencies to simply claim to act impartially, neutrally and independently: they must be seen to behave accordingly and deliver high-quality, needs-driven programming.