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USAID/OTI Afghanistan Field Report
May 2003
Program Description
USAID/OTI's program goal is to support the process of recovery, rehabilitation and political development in post-conflict Afghanistan. Working with a number of local and international partners, USAID/OTI's program is building citizen confidence in the progress of political development, empowering citizens to address basic community needs, and building an alliance between legitimate government structures and citizens. In addition, USAID/OTI supports efforts to strengthen independent media. USAID/OTI's budget for FY2002 was approximately $27 million. USAID/OTI's budget for FY2003 is currently estimated at $16 million. USAID/OTI expects to phase out of its program following elections in June 2004.
USAID/OTI's overall program strategy is to help the Afghan government to function outside Kabul by planning and implementing projects guided by community priorities, and by creating and/or strengthening linkages among the national, provincial, and district governments. USAID/OTI is also improving the communication infrastructure and implementing a comprehensive media strategy. USAID/OTI's projects strengthen economic recovery by improving essential commercial and public infrastructure, reestablishing the relationships and routines that give communities cohesiveness, contributing to sustainable stability and recovery by establishing links between the community and governmental authorities, and building connections between the provinces and Kabul. USAID/OTI Afghanistan's main implementing partners are the International Organization for Migration - Afghanistan Transition Initiative (IOM-ATI), Ronco (a U.S. contractor), and Internews. Projects are funded in 26 provinces of the country.
Country Situation
In an effort to consolidate the central government's control over the provinces and to increase revenue for the Afghan Ministry of Finance, President Karzai called in 12 governors of the border provinces that are presumed to be generating an estimated $400 million in annual revenue from customs collections. All the governors signed an agreement that states revenue will be remitted to the Ministry of Finance. To help enforce the agreement, the Afghan government will be appointing new provincial customs directors. The Minister of Finance, Ashraf Ghani, followed up the meeting by visiting the governor of Herat, Ishmael Khan, who subsequently sent $20 million to the Ministry. Governors also agreed on the number of Afghan Army troops who will be deployed to each province, and agreed again on a policy that governors cannot also be commanders of their own forces.
In May, security incidences continued to hamper programs throughout the country. A UN spokesperson announced that the UN suspended demining activities in eight Afghan provinces due to lack of security. There was another attack against Afghan demining staff on the Kabul - Kandahar road in the vicinity of Shah Joy - Qalat. This road has already been labeled as very high risk and is currently off limits for international and national missions. Meanwhile, newly-planted mines were discovered on the main road of the Khogiani District of Nangahar Province. An official from a mine-clearing agency defused the mines.
Other recent incidents include: NGO activities were halted along the Kabul-Jalalabad-Mazar-I-Sharif highway due to fighting in the area. The UN's office in Balkh Province closed following serious clashes in Mazar-I-Sharif. Two Afghan engineers working for a German NGO were seriously wounded by remote-controlled bombs in a mountainous area south of Jalalabad while on a project monitoring mission. In the city of Jalalabad, a hand grenade tossed over the compound wall damaged the offices of a Swiss NGO. Officials blamed the attacks on Taliban or al-Qaida supporters. Paktika Province has been closed for operations to all UN staff. The Kabul - Ghazni - Kandahar road has been closed to UN international and national staff traveling south of the town of Qarabagh. Due to the continued unrest in Kandahar province, OTI partner IOM-ATI staff, both national and international, are making very few field trips and no trips which require an overnight stay outside of Kandahar city. The number of robberies has drastically increased in Helmand Province although they do not seem to be directed toward the international community.
During the first week of May, the political situation on the Paktya - Khost road improved after UN representatives from Gardez and Kandahar resumed contact with a local warlord, Pacha Khan. Pacha Khan (PK) and his brothers, Amal Khan and Amanullah, guaranteed secure passage through their territory for UN and other international staff.
Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) Update
In May, the UN officially provided donors and other potential partners with a plan for the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) process in Afghanistan. The plan is to support mobile disarmament units to travel around the country, disarming up to 100 combatants daily for a total of 1,000 combatants disarmed in three pilot provinces (Bamyan, Kunduz, and Gardez). Each combatant who turns in a weapon and registers will then receive US $200, food, and be given an option of applying for inclusion in the Afghan National Army or being demobilized. The UN estimates that the pilot disarmament and demobilization processes will take six weeks, beginning July 1. Reintegration will take two years. According to the Afghan Minister of Urban Development, the government lead on the reintegration component of DDR, the plan will only succeed if there is a guarantee of physical and economic security for combatants -- neither of which is currently present. The UN is asking donors and NGOs to become involved in the reintegration process by including ex-combatants in their projects wherever possible. This has been USAID/OTI's operating principle since the beginning of its program. However, it is unlikely that sufficient jobs will be created to absorb the anticipated needs of thousands of ex-combatants.
OTI Highlights
A. Narrative Summary
USAID/OTI Continues to Support the Constitutional Education Process - An OTI-funded consultant from Media Support Solutions (MSS), who produced radio programs for OTI during the Emergency Loya Jirga in June 2002, has produced a series of three-minute radio spots in the local languages of Dari and Pashtu regarding the constitutional process. The consultant will continue his work once the draft constitution has been officially released in the coming months. During a series of interviews carried out in Kabul and surrounding provinces, the consultant found that Afghans are (1) very excited about the constitution and have high hopes that this document will be an important step forward; (2) extremely worried about the impact of the deteriorating security situation on the efficacy of the constitution as a meaningful document; and 3) fairly knowledgeable regarding constitutional issues. According to the consultant's interviews, Afghans are often unclear as to what exactly a constitution is, but understand that it involves such issues as human rights, the rule of law, and the role of Islam. The radio spots are being aired on popular radio programs such as "Good Morning Afghanistan" and "Good Evening Afghanistan," both of which air on Radio/Television Afghanistan.
USAID/OTI signed a grant of $60,000 with the Baltic Media Service in Kabul to produce and air a series of half hour weekly radio spots, in local languages, which will compile interviews and reporting from the provinces regarding the constitutional process. These programs will be broadcast nationally.
Swiss Peace, working through the Afghan Civil Society Forum - a consortium of Afghan NGOs - has parlayed USAID/OTI's grant of $350,000 to support the constitutional education process at the district level, into a fully-funded project. Funding from the governments of Germany and the Netherlands, UNIFEM, and the USAID-funded Asia Foundation bring total funding for the project to approximately $1.1 million. Training of provincial trainers will begin in early June.
USAID/OTI Support for Provincial Women's Centers - USAID/OTI has received several million dollars from the U.S. State Department and USAID's Economic Governance Women in Development office to build 14 women's centers and provide women's programs across Afghanistan. USAID/OTI partner IOM-ATI is implementing the project with local partners in collaboration with the Afghan Ministry of Women's Affairs. While construction of a center has begun in Ghazni province, several governors in other provinces have recently been replaced by the Afghan Government, thus hindering the Ministry's discussions with governors on land plot allocation. In the meantime, the Ministry has received the structural and architectural designs for the Women's Centers and will obtain necessary approvals from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The Information Collection and Dissemination Unit Continues to Educate Afghans Regarding Reconstruction - In May, the Information Collection and Dissemination Unit, based at the AACA (Afghan donor coordinating body) but reporting to the Office of the President - and supported through a USAID/OTI grant of $70,000 - carried out education campaigns related to reconstruction activities such as water, the environment, electricity, and urban development. Activities included press conferences and interviews with ministers with regular reports continuing to be fed to Bakhtar (the state news agency) and Radio Television Afghanistan. A web page, "News of Reconstruction," is nearly completed and will link with the Afghan government website. Since the unit became operational and has been flooding the media with information regarding reconstruction, the tenor of newspaper articles in Kabul has shifted dramatically from that of a chorus of laments regarding the slow pace of reconstruction, to more objective and informed reporting.
Conference to Form an Independent Journalists' Union Ends With Mixed Results - In collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Culture, and as part of the movement towards institutionalizing independent media, two international media NGOs, Article 19 and the International Journalists' Federation, helped organize a conference to form an independent journalist union. USAID/OTI supported this activity with a grant of $26,000. The primary objective was to create a union to serve as a collective for both the protection of individual journalists, and to give a collective voice to the journalism profession. International observers walked out of the conference on the second day, saying that the process leading up to the election of the board was flawed as it was dominated by journalists from the north and from state media. At any rate, the election went forward and a journalist union was formed. While the outcome may not have been as envisioned, at least one positive result is that journalists at the provincial level, in a number of provinces, came away inspired to form provincial unions, which could serve as building blocks for a truly independent journalists' union in the future. In the meantime, the international observers have committed to monitor the process of the new union for the next six months.
Update on Internews - USAID/OTI partner NGO Internews continues to make progress on the independent media front. Internews is working to establish independent community radio stations across the country and radio licenses have been secured for stations in the provinces of Nangahar, Pul-I-Kumri, and Taloqan. The staff in Nangahar received training in May - along with other independent journalists and state journalists - but are awaiting a letter of authorization from the governor before beginning operation. Other training included legal seminars for journalists early in the month, led by Internews' recently-hired Afghan media lawyer.
USAID/OTI to Assist Afghan Government in Providing Reconstruction Projects in the Southeast - In May, OTI obligated $1.25 million through IOM-ATI to focus on programming in the southeast, including Paktika, Khost and Nangahar provinces. The government requested support in this region which has seen little reconstruction work. IOM-ATI is currently selecting local implementing partners as poor security prohibits IOM-ATI staff from traveling in these areas at this time. The focus will remain on community projects with the addition of a housing reconstruction component. Given the dearth of reconstruction activities in these volatile areas, projects will be highly visible, with the objective to enhance the image of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). Consultant engineers are visiting the district and will plan a larger meeting in June, which will include representatives of the local governments, local leadership, USAID, and IOM-ATI.
MOU between USAID/OTI Partner IOM and Afghan Ministry will Help Prioritize Reconstruction Needs - IOM-ATI is working on a memorandum of understanding with Afghanistan's Ministry of Rehabilitation and Rural Development (MRRD) to further strengthen relations between the government and USAID partners. The MOU outlines capacity support that IOM-ATI will provide to the MRRD to undertake systematic provincial assessments to help prioritize rehabilitation and reconstruction needs for the country. To date, six such missions have been undertaken in Kabul Province.
USAID/OTI Partner Unable to Reach Agreement on New School Projects - A series of meetings been held between IOM-ATI and the newly appointed Head of Construction Unit of the Ministry of Education (CUME) has resulted in yet more discussions on approval procedures. IOM-ATI hopes that the Ministry will approve some 20 IOM-ATI school projects for implementation in the next few months. IOM-ATI implemented 53 school construction and reconstruction projects last year and none this year because of the Ministry's inability to develop a functioning approval process.
USAID/OTI Projects Completed During the Reporting Period
- Guest house and kindergarten for the Ministry of Higher Education, Kabul.
- Heating system for the Ministry of Education, Kabul.
- Construction of a guard house for the Ministry of Information and Culture, Kabul.
- Kindergarten for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kabul.
- Video equipment supplied to Radio/Television Afghanistan, Kabul.
- Billing system for the Ministry of Communication, Kabul.
- The SWIFT banking system to enable international banking transactions from Kabul, with the assistance of Bearing Point, Kabul.
- Conflict resolution training for 25 mullahs, Kabul.
- Conflict resolution training for community leaders, Ghazni Province.
- Production of a publication on the Bonn Accords to be distributed throughout the country, National.
- Kabul Polytechnic electrical system, Kabul.
- The micro-hydro power plant at De Karkot, and the rehabilitation of water mills into micro-hydropower plants, Kabul Province.
- Channel protection in Surobi Town, Kabul Province.
- Provision of potable water for Ghashi Village, Kabul Province.
- Construction of a protection wall for Jogi Bridge, Kabul Province.
- Four schools in Herat and Badghis provinces.
- Weir and intake system, Kabul Province.
- Qalai Dadar Bridge rehabilitation, Bamyan Province.
- Repairs to Herat-Qala road, Section 1, Herat Province.
- Three schools in Samangan Province.
- Brick factory in Dar-I-Suf, Samangan Province.
- Bridge and fords in Aq Kupruk, Balkh Province.
- Construction of the Bala Duri Channel, Baghlan Province.
Program Impact Reports
Codan Communication System Having an Impact. In collaboration with the Afghan Ministry of Communication, in an effort to improve communications between provinces and the central government, USAID/OTI installed Codan radios with voice and email capacity, scanners, printers, and computers in all provincial capitals early this year. In Faryab Province, a remote province in the northwest of the country, there has been periodic factional fighting since the beginning of the current administration. Since the installation of the Codans, President Karzai has been able to receive information about the fighting as soon as it happens, consult with his advisors, and send immediate instructions to help resolve the conflict. Prior to installation of the system in another province, Takhar, it was almost impossible to inform the central government of urgent needs. However, after installation of the Codans, the province was able to request and receive emergency assistance of the central government during severe flooding.
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| Two Local Leaders Confer with an Engineer from the Ministry of Irrigation in Kunduz Province. Photo by Alex Croissac, IOM-ATI |
Local Government Demonstrates Its Capacity to Local Leaders in Kunduz Province. In late May, a community leader of Archi District and the Head of the Kunduz Agricultural Department came to OTI's IOM-ATI partner office to discuss the rehabilitation of the Archi Canal. The rehabilitation of the dike that channels the water to the Archi canal is critical for Archi District since the canal will irrigate lands that benefit 45,000 people. The project is due to begin in June, and the community leaders came to obtain clarifications. OTI's implementing partner (IOM-ATI) invited the Afghan Ministry of Irrigation Department (MoI) representative in Kunduz, who had prepared engineering plans with IOM-ATI's engineers. During the meeting, the MoI and IOM-ATI engineers provided technical information to the community leaders on the infrastructure to be built, including the roles of the government, IOM-ATI, and the community. The community leaders left the meeting saying they were completely satisfied with the explanations.
This is a demonstration of the importance that OTI partner staff put on emphasizing that community representatives receive all technical information on a community project from local authorities rather than from OTI partner staff alone, who could just as easily provide it. A small gesture, but one with great symbolic value, demonstrates that the new Afghan government is serving its people.
Conflict Resolution Training in Ghazni Creates Excitement Regarding the Possibility of Longer Peace. With a $68,000 USAID/OTI, the Sanayee Development Foundation (SDF) will be holding conflict resolution and peace training workshops in 12 provinces that are experiencing political/military difficulties. The eight-day workshop was held in Ghazni Province and included the participation of the governor of Ghazni, numerous district governors, religious leaders, local leaders, and two women. The governor was so enthusiastic about the personal impact the workshop was having that he invited President Karzai to the closing ceremony. Unfortunately, the president was unable to attend due to a security incident in Kabul.
The Ministry of Communication Now Collecting Revenue through a Computerized Billing System. With the assistance of a USAID/OTI grant of $65,000 for the production and installation of a billing system - and associated staff training - the Ministry of Communication is now able to produce itemized bills for customers using land lines. The impact is the provision of additional revenue to help cover Afghanistan's recurrent communications costs.
Radio Arman FM a Hit. Radio Arman, Kabul's first independent commercial radio station - supported by a USAID/OTI grant of $230,000 - has become an immediate hit in Kabul's airwaves. The format is primarily music intermixed with banter between a male and female DJ, and is targeted toward a younger audience. While there has been some criticism regarding the format, the overwhelmingly response to Radio Arman's first month on the air has been extremely positive with the studio flooded by thousands of letters and phone calls every week. In Radio Arman's second week of operation, an informal survey carried out by the media NGO AINA found that the station had already attracted 16 percent of the population. By the end of May, another survey found that 80 percent of Kabul residents were listening to Radio Arman.
C. Grants Activity Summary for USAID/OTI Programming in Afghanistan for the month of May 2003.
| Community Infrastructure |
28 |
$1,007,726 |
| Good Governance / Transparency |
4 |
$67,375 |
| Women's Projects |
3 |
$158,330 |
| Media |
3 |
$131,065 |
| Total |
38 |
$1,364,496 |
USAID/OTI signed the following small grants during the current reporting period, May 2003:
| The village of Ghorambi, Paktya Province. |
Rehabilitation of irrigation system intake point |
1,500 families living in 14 villages will benefit from keeping 500 hectares in production. |
| Teachers' Training College, Badakhshan Province |
Construction of Teachers' Training College and Female Dormitory, Badakhshan Province |
300 primary school teachers trained per year. 200 female students housed in the dormitory. 19,000 unskilled and 4,000 unskilled workers who will be employed. |
| Judicial Commission |
Provision of Computers and Training for the Judicial Commission |
The 11 members of the Judicial Commission and support staff. |
| Community of Sharan, Paktika Province. |
Culvert construction |
The 53,000 residents of Sharan who will benefit from an improved road network. |
| Community of Lakahry, Paktya Province |
Construction of reservoir and pipe system for drinking water |
150 families who will be connected to piped water. 8 skilled and 20 unskilled laborers. |
| Community of Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province |
Construction of a training facility at the Lashkar Gah Hospital |
120 nursing students who will serve primarily in Lashkar Gah (population of 200,000) but who will also work throughout the province. 50 workers employed. |
| Department of Planning, Bamyan Province |
Rehabilitation of the office of the Department of Planning |
300,000 people will benefit indirectly from this project which will facilitate the planning of projects in 7 districts of the Central Highlands. |
| Village of Royan, Paktya Province |
Construction of retaining wall to protect the village's principal road from further erosion |
3,000 residents of Royan Village. 400 students at the nearby secondary school who will have continued access. 100 vehicles / day using the road. |
| Article 19 |
Support for the national conference on media development in Afghanistan |
The national media community, both state and independent, will benefit from discussing their role in society, and through the formation of an Independent Journalists' Union. |
| Ministry of Planning |
Technical assistance to the Ministry of Planning for the drafting of NGO legislation |
The entire NGO community, both national and international, will benefit through the drafting of NGO legislation that conforms with internationally-accepted standards. |
| Khanabad District, Kunduz Province |
Protection of the Kunduz / Faizabad road from the Khanabad River |
The beneficiaries will be the 1,500,000 residents of the provinces of Kunduz, Takhar, and Badakhshan who depend on this road for access. 1 skilled and 23 unskilled laborers will be employed for 3 months. |
| Buin Village, Kunduz Province |
Protection of Buin Village from the Khanabad River |
925 homes will be protected from erosion. 2,000 hectares of land will be protected. 2 skilled and 38 unskilled laborers will be employed for 4 months. |
| Maimana City, Faryab Province |
Rehabilitation of Maimana's main streets |
The estimated 180,000 inhabitants of Maimana will benefit from 10 rehabilitated streets. 4 skilled and 35 unskilled laborers will be employed for 90 days. |
| Herat City, Herat Province |
Construction of 2 water tanks for Noor Eye Hospital |
40 inpatients and a daily flow of 200 outpatients who will benefit from a dependable supply of water for the hospital. |
| Baltic Media Center |
Support for the Baltic Media Center for the production of provincial programs dealing with constitutional education |
The beneficiaries will be the people of Afghanistan, the Constitutional Commission, and the Afghan Government. |
| Ministry of Irrigation and Water, Kabul |
Renovation of ministry's kindergarten |
100 children will benefit, along with their mothers who will have a secure environment in which to leave their children. |
| Residents of Khost Province |
Construction of the Dakhi Bridge |
This bridge will connect 3 large and populous districts (300,000 people) of Khost Province. Between 160 and 200 vehicles pass on the road daily. |
| Kapisa, Kabul, Parwan, Wardak Provinces |
Turning 20 water mills into micro-hydropower plants |
Residents of 20 villages in the 4 provinces. 5 skilled and 10 unskilled laborers. Surrounding villages that will benefit from the training of the skilled laborers. |
| Residents of Taluqan District, Takhar Province |
Construction of a dam on the Gaomali Canal |
30,000 hectares of land will be irrigated as a result of this project. Two skilled and 10 unskilled laborers will benefit from 4 months of employment. |
| Residents of Taluqan District, Takhar Province |
Construction of a dam on the Shehrawar Canal |
40,000 hectares of land will be irrigated. Two skilled and 7 unskilled laborers will benefit from 4 months of employment. |
| Residents of Pahrah Village, Herat Province |
Improvement of the underground irrigation system in Pharah Village |
4,000 residents of the village will benefit from increased irrigation water. The poorest 50 percent of the village's families will benefit from employment opportunities. |
| National |
Support for systems analyst for the organization of Kabul's property documents |
While the initial beneficiaries will be property owners in and around Kabul, once a database is in place, it can be expanded nationwide. |
| Ministry of Communications |
Support for two consultants to work with the Ministry of Communication on spectrum management |
This is assistance is a collaboration with dot.gov in the ongoing work to increase the ministry's capacity to deal with spectrum management. |
| Dokah Village, Ghazni Province |
Rehabilitation of Dokah Karez |
400 families who depend on the karez for agricultural production. Nine skilled workers will benefit from the construction work. |
| Kaj Kala Village, Ghazni Province |
Rehabilitation of Kal Kala Karez |
350 families. 500 hectares of land. 40 vineyards and orchards. Seven skilled workers will benefit from the construction work. |
| Residents of Ghazni Province |
Reconstruction of Ghazni City's main bridge |
The inhabitants of the province who will have safer access to Ghazni. Eight skilled and 13 unskilled laborers will benefit from the construction work. |
| Residents of Ghazni Province |
Construction of the Deh Khodai-dad Bridge |
The entire population of Ghazni Province, especially the southern districts. Six skilled and 8 unskilled laborers will benefit from the construction work. |
| The residents of Khoja Omari District, Ghazni Province |
Construction of the Khoja Omari Bridge |
The population of Khoja Omari District, estimated to be 10,000 people. Two skilled and 8 unskilled laborers will benefit from the construction work. |
| Residents of Arijstan District, Ghazni Province |
Construction of the Shami Khail Bridge |
The population of Arijstan District, estimated to be 25,000 people. Two skilled and 11 unskilled laborers will benefit from the construction work. |
| Residents of Khoja Paytakht Village, Faryab Province |
Rehabilitation of the Khoja Paytakht Channel |
Approximately 220 families who will have access to year-round irrigation. 5 skilled and 50 unskilled laborers will benefit from 60 days of work. |
| The national women's NGO, AMRAN, Logar Province |
Women's poultry and literacy project |
75 vulnerable women, particularly on widows and returnees. |
| Ministry of Women's Affairs |
National weekly women's magazine |
17,000 copies will be distributed through the Ministry of Women's Affairs provincial centers, with an estimated readership of 340,000. Fourteen female staff will be trained in the magazine's production. |
| Residents of Torpakhtoo village, Faryab Province |
Construction of a protection wall for the Torpakhto irrigation channel |
Provision of a permanent water source for 1,000 families and 5,000 hectares of land. |
| Freedom Print House |
Repair of warehouse for the Freedom Printing House |
This grant will enable the installation of recently repaired printing machinery to increase the capacity for printing government documents and the independent press. |
| Sharan City, Paktika Province |
Construction of bridge and culvert |
53,000 people of Sharan, and 60,000 residents of neighboring districts will benefit. 20 unskilled and 5 skilled laborers will benefit from 2 months of work. |
| Qotur Village, Faryab Province |
Rehabilitation of the Qotur channel and intake |
Approximately 3,500 families living in 18 villages by providing irrigation water year-round. Six skilled and 35 unskilled laborers for 90 days. |
| Ghazni, Baghlan Province |
Construction of Provincial Women's Center |
25 employees of the Department of Women's Affairs. The estimated 380,000 women in Baghlan Province. Eight skilled and 20 unskilled laborers for 90 days. |
| Residents of Sharan, Paktya Province |
Construction of the Mamal Gulad Bridge |
The 53,000 residents of Sharan Town. 100,000 residents of surrounding districts in Paktya and Ghazni. The 350 vehicles estimated to use the road every day. |
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
During the month of June 2003, USAID/OTI will:
- Officially open Kabul's FM Radio Arman, the Herat University Radio Station, and Jalalabad's first independent radio station;
- Continue to support the constitutional education process;
- Continue the process of encouraging the development of independent radio stations throughout the country, while continuing to support state radio stations.
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