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12 May 2010 REVIEW

Inside This Issue

Economic Stabilization Governance & Participation This document is intended to provide an overview of relevant sector events in Afghanistan from 05 May - 11 May 2010. More Humanitarian Assistance comprehensive information is available on the Civil-Military Overview Infrastructure (CMO) at www.cimicweb.org. Hyperlinks to original source material Justice & Reconciliation are highlighted in blue and underlined in the embedded text.

Security Social Well-Being

For further information on CFC activities related to Afghanistan or inquiries about this publication, please contact the Afghanistan Team Manager: Valeria Davanzo, [email protected] or the Afghanistan Editor: Amber Ram- sey, [email protected]

ECONOMIC STABILIZATION Matthew Hall, [email protected] / +1 757-683-5273 Back to top

Pajhwok Afghan News reports that locusts have According to members of the Afghan Parliament been destroying wheat crops in the Khulm and Natural Resources and Environment Commission, Hazrat Sultan districts of despite 50% of Afghan forests have been 'ruined' by illegal an anti-insect campaign that has been ongoing in logging, Quqnoos of Pakistan reports. They argue the province for the past two weeks. So far, the Min- that trees are cut down and then smuggled to other istry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) countries, despite laws against such activity, due to has provided 5,900 litres of insecticides, of which the lack of enforcement capacity. The Afghan 4,300 litres have been exhausted but apparently to Speaker of the House, Mohammad Yunis Qanuni, little or no avail. In a related Pajhwok article, the predicted environmental disaster in some provinces MAIL has begun an anti-insect campaign to assist if the issue is not addressed. Officials from the MAIL farmers in Panjshir province whose plants and trees blamed the illegal logging on lack of security in the are being destroyed in a separate locust infestation. affected provinces. The campaign is expected to benefit 1,500 farmers through the distribution of pesticides and other Prices of sugar and ghee rose over the last month equipment over a 9-month period. in while the price of rice saw a decrease. Prices of other commodities stayed mostly un- The European Union (EU) has agreed to assist the changed, as evidenced by separate Pajhwok com- MAIL with a programme designed to protect live- modity reports published on 06 May and 15 April. stock by providing veterinary training and vaccina- The price of sugar rose about 6% from AFN 1600 tion supplies over the next four years, reports (approx. USD 34.75) for a 50-kg bag to AFN 1700 Pajhwok. The programme is expected to double the (approx. USD 36.91). The price of ghee also rose supply of animal vaccinations in Afghanistan from 5 about 6% from AFN 245 (approx. USD 5.32) to AFN to 10 million and strengthen agriculture by providing 260 (approx. USD 5.64). Rice decreased by about high-quality tree saplings and money for nurseries. 8.3% from AFN 2400 (approx. USD 52) for a 50-kg The agreement was signed for the USD 44 million bag to AFN 2200 (approx. USD 48). The price of project by the Afghan Minister of Agriculture, Irriga- diesel increased by one Afghani per litre while the tion and Livestock, Mohammad Asif Rahimi, and the price for the same amount of petrol dropped by one EU Special Representative for Afghanistan (EUSRA), Afghani. All other commodities – flour, green tea, Usackas Vyguadas, on Wednesday. black tea, Arabian and Iranian gold, and liquefied

2 gas – remain unchanged. (Comments? Click here) FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE

GOVERNANCE & PARTICIPATION Ann-Kristin Otto, [email protected] / +1 757-683-4368 Back to top

Afghan president Hamid Karzai arrived in Washing- registered including 350 women, reports Tolo TV. ton, DC on 10 May for a four-day visit during which The IEC said it would release a list of candidates to he will meet with several US-administration officials, the public allowing individuals to file complaints the New York Times reports. According to Reuters, with the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) in Karzai and his delegation are seeking US support for the event they have any concerns. Meanwhile, on the latest Afghan plans on reconciliation and reinte- 11 May United Nations Special Representative of gration efforts including how to deal with the top the Secretary General (SRSG) Staffan de Mistura Taliban leadership. The Guardian writes that Karzai signed an agreement with IEC Chairman Fazel is prepared to offer exile and amnesty to Taliban Ahmad Manawi pledging financial support for the leaders willing to end the insurgency. Al-Jazeera re- upcoming elections, Agence France-Presse writes. ports that US President Obama is expected to urge Although no specific amount was made public, IEC his Afghan counterpart to do more to fight corrup- member Zekriya Barakzai said the polls would cost tion and improve the government’s capacity to de- approximately USD 149 million and the UN was ex- liver services. Karzai wrote in an op-ed published by pected to cover more than USD 40 million. the Washington Post that the international effort in Afghanistan “still has miles to go” and that greater According to Tolo TV, Minister of Information and coordination is needed during the build-up of Afghan Culture Makhdoom Raheen called on the Afghan institutions; specifically, avoiding the creation of par- government to stop controlling state-run media allel structures that undermine the Afghan authori- channels, specifically the Radio Television of Af- ties. ghanistan (RTA). The Minister said in an interview that he put forward a proposal to privatize all state- Speaker of the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parlia- run media to guarantee they are run independently. ment) Mohammad Yunis Qanuni announced that The Ministry of Information and Culture also an- Afghan president Karzai is expected to introduce his nounced that it will open an international media eleven remaining ministerial candidates after he re- centre in Kabul without giving specific details about turns from his US visit, Tolo TV reports. Several the centre’s activities or the timeline. Meanwhile, Members of Parliament (MPs) urged the presidential the US Agency for International Development palace to present the remaining names at an earlier (USAID) announced that it has signed an agree- deadline set by parliament, however the date passed ment with RTA to provide the news source with an without any government action. updated system to improve the quality of broad- casts and solve technical difficulties, according to The registration period for the parliamentary elec- National TV Afghanistan. (Comments? Click tions scheduled for 18 September ended on 05 May here) with the Independent Election Commission (IEC) announcing that more than 2,500 candidates had FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE Amber Ramsey, [email protected] / +1 757-683-4385 Back to top

The Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) made up of primarily outside funding. reports that Afghanistan’s dependence on foreign aid could have grave consequences when NATO forces The operation licences of 152 national and 20 inter- finally pull out of the country. Member of Parliament national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in (MP) Shukria Barakzai told IRIN that the country’s Afghanistan have been revoked by the Afghan au- achievements are not strong enough to carry on thorities, says IRIN. According to government offi- without constant financial assistance. “Take drug cials, the NGOs were not reporting their activities to money and foreign aid away and you would find Af- the Ministry of Economy (MoE) at the required 6- ghanistan collapsing in extreme destitution,” said a month period. Afghanistan currently has over 1,200 professor of political economy at Kabul University. registered national and 301 international NGOs, Domestic contribution composed 60% of Afghani- according to the MoE. A Ministry spokesman told stan’s 2010 annual “ordinary” budget of USD 2.4 journalists that the NGOs will be given the opportu- billion; the country’s development budget is still nity to appeal the decision and provide the MoE 3 with the requested documentation. Corruption has assets for assessments, delivery of assistance and been an over-arching issue in Afghanistan, with rescue operations.” Several Pajhwok Afghan News many Afghans, including President Karzai, arguing articles give details on the situation in a number of that it is fed by the lack of accountability of foreign provinces including Badghis, Parwan, Sar-e Pul, aid entering the country. Takhar and Wardak. Officials have warned that the humanitarian situation could get worse with more According to the Afghanistan National Disaster Man- rain expected in the coming days. As of 10 May, the agement Authority (ANDMA), flooding in the north- Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System ern have left many people (GDACS) reports that the country is currently on dead and several others wounded following more Green Flood Alert. than two weeks of heavy rains. IRIN reports that 5,000 homes have been destroyed and thousands of Due to the deteriorating security situation in Af- hectares of farmland and livestock have been lost. ghanistan, access of UN High Commissioner for Emergency response teams from the Afghan govern- Refugees (UNHCR) international staff has been re- ment, UN agencies and NGOs have been assessing duced to around 50% of the country. The UN High the situation and providing relief supplies to the af- Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, says fected communities. According to IRIN, Jowzjan, that the agency is relying on local staff and partner Bamian and Baghlan are the hardest hit by the organisations to reach displaced populations and flooding and local officials in these provinces say returning refugees in many parts of the country, as that food, drinking water and shelter are the most reported by the Associated Press. According to urgent needs; AlertNet also reports that the prov- Guterres, the blurring of lines between the military inces of Badghis, Herat and Ghor experienced heavy and humanitarian workers has resulted in an in- losses. A United Nations Office for the Coordination crease in aid workers being specifically targeted by of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) floods update dis- insurgents. A recent discussion hosted by the cusses the role of the Provincial Reconstruction Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement Teams (PRTs), International Security Assistance provides more details on the current situation of Force (ISAF) and the (ANA) in internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Afghanistan. the disaster response. A meeting will be held with (Comments? Click here) ISAF to develop guidelines for military participation “in existing coordination forums and information sharing at provincial levels” as well as the “use of air FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE

INFRASTRUCTURE Matthew Hall, [email protected] / +1 757-683-5273 Back to top

Construction on the country’s first rail line – a 75-km yet been installed. The Mayor of Kabul, Mohammad railway from the border of Uzbekistan to Mazar-e Yonus Nawandish, says that renovation to the roads Sharif – will be completed this year, according to and drainage systems will be undertaken with fund- Bloomberg. Once the rail line is complete, ing promised by the World Bank and other donor “shipments of fuels, food grains, consumer goods organisations. and construction materials,” are expected to more than double according to the Asian Development Pajhwok reported on a number of infrastructure Bank (ADB). The ADB is providing USD 165 million of projects this week: the total USD 170 million for the project and has inspected the construction completed thus far. The An administrative building for the Ministry of project is being implemented by Uzbekistan’s state- Hajj and Mosque/Religious Affairs costing USD run railroad company. Experts cited in the article 120,000 was inaugurated in Samangan prov- state that the rail line will also serve as the first step ince, providing a permanent location for official in the creation of a link between Central Asia and business. Previously, ministry employees relied Iranian seaports. It could also be utilized as an alter- on rented houses. native to transport routes through Pakistan for NATO forces in Afghanistan and, as such, will most likely An Iranian company won a bid to build a USD become a target of the Taliban. 40 million hydroelectric dam capable of gener- ating 1.2 megawatts (MW) of energy in the Local Noor TV reports that Kabul residents are com- Shakar Darra district of Kabul. Construction on plaining of insufficient drainage system for road- the dam will take 3.5 years and will employ ways, which renders them useless during and after around 300 workers. Dams costing USD 200 heavy rainfall. Many of these roads are still under million will also be built in Faryab, Herat and construction; therefore, drainage systems have not Paktia provinces. Existing electrical capacity in 4

Afghanistan, according to officials cited in the capital of Samangan province, under the Na- article, is 1,200 MW but the country's demand is tional Solidarity Programme (NSP). The projects 5,000 MW. cost AFN 8.1 million (approx. USD 175,000) and are expected to benefit 1,560 families. Accord- Thirty-four USAID-funded irrigation schemes ing to Samangan Governor Khairullah Anosh, costing USD 658,000 were completed in the Ro- this brings the total number of welfare schemes dat district of . The projects completed in Samangan this year to 1,160, with include 22 dams, one canal, and 11 Karez sys- 135 projects still underway. These 1,160 pro- tems and are expected to benefit almost 18,000 jects have cost AFN 854 million (approx. USD families by providing irrigation for 56,000 acres 18.5 million) and should benefit an estimated of farmland. 87,000 families. (Comments? Click here)

14 uplift schemes were completed in Aibak, the FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE

JUSTICE & RECONCILIATION Ann-Kristin Otto, [email protected] / +1 757-683-4368 Back to top

On 08 May, Afghan authorities formally took charge nounced that the new date for the gathering will be of the Bagram detention facilities, now generally 29 May, according to Reuters. Minister of Education referred to as detention facility Parwan, which was Ghulam Farooq Wardak, who heads the organisa- formerly controlled by the US forces in Afghanistan. tional team for the jirga, said that the new date An Afghan Defence Ministry official explained that allows president Karzai to share more information the detention centre will henceforth be secured by with participants on the American’s stance on his the Afghan Military Police. The International Com- reconciliation plans. The Associated Press writes mittee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has provided infor- that Karzai’s plan will not be finalised until after the mation to the BBC confirming that the detention jirga in Kabul but that a 36-page draft provides de- centre houses two facilities including one secret tails on how the Afghan government is planning to prison referred to as “black jail,” whereas the US attract foot soldiers by offering them jobs and voca- military only confirmed the existence of one prison tional training and implementing development pro- on the base. The BBC quotes nine prisoners saying jects in their villages. Since there will be a shortage they had been held in the secret prison. of available jobs for a large number of fighters, the government plans to set up an Engineering and After seven detainees were released from Bagram Construction Corps and an Agriculture Conservation prison in early May (refer to CFC’s 05 May Afghani- Corps that will support national infrastructure and stan Review, Justice & Reconciliation Section), three create additional jobs. The AP article reveals that additional prisoners were released on 07 May “as a the government sent a nine-page letter to all Af- sign of good cooperation” with the coalition troops, ghan governors as interim guidance on how to deal Shamshad TV reports. The released inmates were with insurgents who are willing to lay down their from and their release was wel- arms until the finalisation of the reconciliation plan. comed by the Governor of Kunar and other local offi- The draft lays out plans for the initial focus of the cials during a ceremony. reintegration process to be on Kandahar, Helmand, Herat, Badghis, Nangarhar, Kunduz and Baghlan After the postponement of the peace jirga in Kabul provinces. (Comments? Click here) (refer to CFC’s 05 May Afghanistan Review, Govern- ance & Participation Section) organisers have an- FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE

SECURITY Rens De Graaff, [email protected] /+1 757-683-4302 Back to top

According to The Australian, the upcoming joint along the key route through the province. Afghan NATO-Afghan campaign, Hamkari ( for co- army units and coalition troops will then attempt to operation), will have until the end of the year to take clear the Taliban from the outlying districts of Ar- advantage of the current troop numbers and political ghandab, Zhari and Panjwayi.” Voice of America unity in Afghanistan to secure . adds that unlike Operation Moshtarak in Marjah, the The article gives details on the plan, which includes effort in Kandahar will not have a definitive start “combining regular US soldiers and Special Forces date or involve major military manoeuvres. with Afghan police and paramilitaries to establish 32 posts around Kandahar city at every access point In conjunction with President Karzai’s visit to the 5

United States, the Taliban announced the start of an Taliban earn about USD 300 million per year off the offensive against NATO forces and the Afghan gov- drug trade, according to the United Nations. The ernment through suicide attacks and roadside bomb- key districts in Kandahar for poppy production are ings, Reuters reports. Additionally, the Boston Globe Panjwai, Zhari, and Maiwand with the latter two reveals that a recent increase in violence in Kanda- districts almost entirely under Taliban control, says har province coincides with the end of the poppy the Boston Globe. (Comments? Click here) harvest. The increased attacks come after a three- week lull, during which Taliban militants were re- portedly collecting taxes from poppy farmers. The FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE

SOCIAL WELL-BEING Valeria Davanzo, [email protected] / +1 757-683-4271 Back to top

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) announced it of the MoPH in revising and upgrading the National has held an advisory meeting on the Balkh provincial Child and Adolescent Health Policy with the aim to health directorate 2010 work plan for health services prevent avoidable deaths through the implementa- delivery with several Members of Parliament (MPs) tion of curative and preventive healthcare services from . Acting Minister of Public Health at the community level. Dr. Suraya Dalil highlighted during the meeting that the work plan should move forward with the partici- On the occasion of the International Day of the Mid- pation of the MPs. In addition to assessing the ac- wife celebrated around the world on 05 May, USAID tivities of the provincial directorate, the work plan reported on the Sixth Annual Midwives Congress in defines goals and further direction in health service Kabul hosted by the Afghan Midwives Association delivery and programme implementation as well as (AMA). According to the press release, 500 people agrees on the needs and priorities of the province. attended the event, 350 of them registered mid- The advisory meeting is the first of its kind on pro- wifes. The association, which counts 1,645 mem- vincial issues, and in an effort of transparency and bers, has been engaged in promoting and strength- decentralisation, the MoPH intends to carry out simi- ening the midwifery profession since its creation. lar meetings to cover other provinces in the near According to the press release, the number of mid- future. wives in Afghanistan has increased from 467 in 2002 to 2,200 in 2009, with the infant mortality rate Following a similar effort towards the improvement dropping by 22% during the same period. of healthcare delivery and monitoring the progress of the health system, the MoPH has advertised that The Ministry of Education (MoE) is currently in the it will host the country’s first National Maternal and process of converting all its documents to internet Child Survival Committee meeting (NMCSC). The files, Pajhwok Afghan News reports. The computeri- committee will meet twice a year and its main task sation programme that should be completed within will be to monitor infant and child mortality indica- a year will enable the Ministry to post its documents tors. Dr. Suraya Dalil qualified the committee as a on the net and facilitate information-sharing. “valuable tool” for monitoring the activities of the (Comments? Click here) MoPH but also of other ministries and stakeholders involved in efforts to reduce infant and child mortal- FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE ity rates in Afghanistan. Dalil also noted the efforts

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