From the Background:
The Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR) was created in August 1988, in response to the demand from the many aid agencies and their international donors for a coordinated approach to humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan and for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Originally, the organization was based in Peshawar, Pakistan, where it focused mainly on coordinating NGOs’ humanitarian response. Since it moved to Afghanistan, ACBAR has provided the framework within which Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), the Afghan Government, the United Nations (UN) and bilateral donors can exchange information, share expertise and establish guidelines for a more coordinated, efficient and effective use of resources for aid to the Afghan people. Its activities have focused heavily on information to its members and the aid community in general, coordination of activities at the national and regional levels, and advocacy on issues affecting the work of its members in Afghanistan.