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20 October 2010 REVIEW

Inside This Issue

Economic Stabilization This document is intended to provide an overview of relevant sector Governance & Participation events in Afghanistan from 14 October–19 October 2010. More Humanitarian Assistance comprehensive information is available on the Civil-Military Overview Infrastructure (CMO) at www.cimicweb.org. Hyperlinks to original source material are highlighted in blue and underlined in the embedded text. Justice & Reconciliation

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 Steve Zyck, [email protected] / +1 757-683-4275 Back to top

Afghanistan‟s Ministry of Finance (MoF) has released rity sector, increasing prices for basic foodstuffs and a „pre-budget report‟ which cites impressive gains in the uncertainty and unpredictability surrounding 2009/10 and projects growth in certain sectors in donor funding. 2010/11. Key highlights from the report include the following: Afghanistan‟s Investment Support Agency (AISA) also announced that the Afghan economy had The Afghan economy grew by 22.5% in benefited from USD 500 million in recorded invest- 2009/10, although growth is expected to slow to ment in 2009/10, showing a 6% increase from the 8.9% in 2010/11 and further drop to approxi- year prior. According to Tolo News, half of this mately 7% in 2011/12. However, the mining, amount was internal investment whereas the other financial services and transport sectors are an- half comprised foreign direct investment (FDI). The ticipating growth rates of 30%, 35% and 20%, construction and health-care sectors benefited most respectively, in 2010/11. heavily from this investment, while agriculture re- Government revenues benefited from strong ceived only 5% (approximately USD 25 million). economic performance in 2009/10 and increased by more than 50% relative to the previous year. A new private-sector strategy is currently being de- The Afghan government expects to collect AFN veloped by the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce 88.9 billion (approx. USD 2.07 billion) in and Industries (ACCI), reports Tolo News. Accord- 2011/12, driving domestic revenue up to 10.4% ing to the article, the ACCI is developing this strat- of GDP. egy though a nationwide consultative process which The MoF has demanded „realistic‟ budgets from will seek to uncover challenges faced by the private other government ministries in response to chal- sector and generate proposals for overcoming or lenges posed by inflated budget requests in pre- resolving them. vious years. Ministries are requested to work with donors to agree on assistance levels for Each of the topics noted above are addressed from future fiscal years and to only propose spending a historical perspective in a recently released report on projects for which resources have already by the CFC entitled The Afghan Economy: A Brief been identified. History. (Comments? Click here)

While positive, the report does suggest challenges pertaining to the cost of Afghanistan‟s growing secu- FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE 2

GOVERNANCE & PARTICIPATION Anne-Catherine Claude, [email protected] / +1 757-683-4368 Back to top

Preliminary results for the 18 September parliamen- Prior to the announcement of the preliminary re- tary elections, expected to be released on 17 Octo- sults, the New York Times estimated that nearly ber (see 14 October CFC Weekly Afghanistan Re- 25% of votes were likely to be thrown out due to view, Governance and Participation section), were fraud. Additionally, the Free and Fair Election Foun- further postponed by the Independent Election Com- dation of Afghanistan (FEFA) told Pajhwok Afghan mission (IEC), reported Al Jazeera. The IEC an- News that poor management on the part of the IEC nounced that the publication of the results would be affected the outcome of the September parliamen- postponed for a few more days to ensure the results tary elections. FEFA Executive Director Jandad Spin were “accurate and precise”. According to IEC offi- Ghar is quoted saying that “IEC officials had vast cials following the announcement, the results would resources on the day of election, but they did not be announced on 20 October. use them properly,” which he suggests resulted in widespread fraud and irregularities. As planned, the IEC released full preliminary results for the 18 September parliamentary elections on 20 The Washington Post reports that in an effort to October. Fazel Ahmad Manawi, the Chairman of the address corruption, Integrity Watch Afghanistan IEC, announced that due to fraud, 1.3 million votes (IWA), in partnership with village elders, has devel- were disqualified from the total 5.6 million votes oped teams of local inspectors to monitor projects cast. Additionally, ballots received from 2,543 of the and denounce cases of fraud and corruption at the 17,744 polling stations opened on election day, were local level. IWA is a non-governmental organisation dismissed. The final election results should be an- (NGO) focused on research, monitoring and advo- nounced at the end of this month, but could face cacy related to anti-corruption in Afghanistan. Cor- further delays as claims of fraud are investigated by ruption and poor governance in many Afghan prov- the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC). inces have helped the and other insurgent groups gain ground across the country (see 09 Sep- According to IEC spokesperson Noor Muhammad tember CFC Weekly Afghanistan Review and 29 Noor, votes from 571 polling centres (out of more September CFC Weekly Afghanistan Review, Gov- than 5,500 opened on election day) were invalidated ernance and Participation section). The IWA initia- and votes from an additional 1,277 centres were tive has reportedly seen success and has helped to recounted. The Associated Press reports that the cut down on graft in the cities and villages where disqualification of votes will most likely affect the inspectors are present. (Comments? Click here) final results in a number of volatile provinces. AP also reports that more than 50 polling centres were excluded in three provinces: Paktika, Kandahar and OR ORE ISCUSSION LICK ERE Herat. F M D C H

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE Erin Foster, [email protected] / +1 757-683-4233 Back to top

BBC News reports that Afghanistan is currently ex- Acting Minister of Public Health Dr. Suraya Dalil periencing an outbreak of the tropical skin disease stated that due to the high costs of medical treat- leichmaniasis. This skin disease is transmitted by a ment, the government only had the resources to sand-fly bite that causes sores and scarring and ulti- reach around 40% of those affected by the disease. mately leads to social stigma, says BBC. The World Minister Dalil appealed to donors for support and Health Organization (WHO) has released its first re- made assurances that health services and mosquito port on neglected tropical diseases, which happens nets would be provided to those in need. to correspond with the dramatic increase in annual reported leishmaniasis cases in from 17,000 to The security of humanitarian aid workers in Af- 65,000 in 2009. According to a joint press release by ghanistan remains in the spotlight following the ab- the Government of Afghanistan and WHO, the Af- duction and fatal rescue mission of British aid ghan cities of Herat, Kandahar and Mazar-e Sharif worker Linda Norgrove. In light of a 60% increase also reported outbreaks of this disease as these in- in abductions, the Afghanistan NGO Safety Office sects are prevalent in post-conflict areas with poor (ANSO) told The Guardian that aid workers should sanitation conditions. Pajhwok Afghan News reports seek permission from the Taliban to work in areas that during a press conference held at the Charah-i- under their control. ANSO reports that the Taliban Qambar internally displaced persons (IDP) camp, are „anticipating authority‟ and have even developed 3 a foreign policy. This advice is not new to many aid The Australian Council for International Develop- agencies according to UK Executive Director of ment (ACFID) is calling for greater transparency of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Marc DuBois. Mr. Australia‟s civilian and military assistance budget of DuBois says that if humanitarian workers want to USD 1.2 billion per annum. ACFID suggests Austra- reach people in need, it is necessary to be in contact lia should formulate a 10-year humanitarian and with all parties to the conflict. MSF also utilizes pri- development plan as well as increase scrutiny of vate donations to fund their work in Afghanistan, as military aid for provincial reconstruction team (PRT) opposed to the use of government funds which projects that currently lack evaluations or assess- could be perceived as a lack of neutrality and ments. (Comments? Click here) thereby put their staff and projects at risk. FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE

INFRASTRUCTURE Steve Zyck, [email protected] / +1 757-683-4275 Back to top

A number of large-scale projects and infrastructure were noted by Pajhwok over the past week: issues were discussed in the Afghan press this past week. Afghanistan‟s Minister of Education, Dr. Panjshir province will have its first orphanage Farooq Wardak, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the once construction is completed on the site. The Ministry of Education (MoE) would be unable to USD 100,000 orphanage is being funded by a meet its target of constructing 1,000 new schools group of Afghans living in Australia and will per year. Lack of funding and widespread insecurity house 100 of the approximately 1,100 orphans reportedly led to the MoE building only 540 new under the age of 17 in the province. schools over the past year. Therefore, the Minister On Monday, 18 October, construction began on has requested additional funding to enable the MoE three roads in Zabul province. The three roads, to meet its annual target and to reach its long-term which amount to a total of 2 km, will cost USD goals. 470,000 provided by the provincial reconstruc- tion team (PRT) operating in the area. has agreed to finance the construction More than a dozen reconstruction projects un- of a 36 km railway line, according to reports by Tolo der the National Solidarity Programme (NSP) News. The line will extend from harbour in were completed in Wardak province. At a cost Turkmenistan to the district in Faryab prov- of AFN 9 million (approx. USD 210,000), the ince. Tolo News notes that the Turkmen-funded line projects included digging of irrigation canals, will connect with a lengthier railway network in Turk- construction of secondary roads and bridges menistan, which is expected to assist in the trans- and the drilling of water wells, among other port of Afghan products throughout Central Asia and specific interventions. beyond. The Governor of Parwan province says that a PRT from the United States had begun work on Afghanistan‟s Bakhtar News Agency reported that a USD 11.3 million road that would cover 20 construction of the final 82 km section of the Maidan km. Shahr-Bamian highway will soon be launched. This A Canadian PRT-funded project in Kandahar leg of the two-lane highway is anticipated to take province will support the construction of a facil- three years and cost USD 96 million, which is being ity for local media organisations. (Comments? contributed by the Italian government. Click here)

A range of smaller infrastructure construction and rehabilitation initiatives, including those listed below, FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE

JUSTICE & RECONCILIATION Anne-Catherine Claude, [email protected] / +1 757-683-4368 Back to top

During its first session on 13 October, Afghanistan‟s partment spokesman, Philip Crowley, indicated that High Council for Peace stated that goodwill gestures the US would consider the removal of additional such as releasing Taliban detainees being held at names from the sanctions list to help facilitate Guantanamo Bay or removing the names of other peace talks, according to Agence France-Presse. Taliban members from the UN sanctions list would push forward reconciliation talks in Afghanistan, the General David Petraeus, Commander of US and Associated Press reports. Meanwhile, US State De- NATO forces in Afghanistan, has confirmed that the 4

US and NATO are supporting peace talks. Reuters Representative to Afghanistan and , Richard reports that NATO-led forces facilitated the travel of Holbrooke, has a role to play in the peace a senior Taliban commander in Pakistan to take part process as the two countries share a common bor- in talks in Kabul. Petraeus said that “it would not be der. During the meeting, participants discussed how the easiest of tasks for a senior Taliban commander to hand over security responsibility to the Afghan to enter Afghanistan and make his way to Kabul if forces and how to bring insurgents, including the ISAF were not [...] aware of it and therefore allows Taliban, to the negotiating table, says the BBC. it to take place.” US Defense Secretary Robert Gates went on to suggest that the US must take advantage A report released by the Open Society Foundations of any opportunity aimed at bringing reconciliation in describes allegations of abuse by the US military in Afghanistan. However, according to Agence France- a secret detention facility at Bagram Air Base. Ac- Presse, the US has excluded the possibility of Tali- cording to the report, the US, if the allegations are ban leader Mullah Omar playing a role in the peace proven, is in violation of US rules on detainee treat- process as he is unlikely to meet the criteria set up ment. In response to the report, President Hamid by the Afghan government for the talks (see 01 Sep- Karzai has appointed a team to investigate the al- tember CFC Weekly Afghanistan Review, Justice and leged violations. The delegation is headed by Jus- Reconciliation section). Meanwhile, The Telegraph tice Minister Habibullah Ghalib and comprised of reports that Pakistan has declared its willingness to members of the Afghanistan Independent Human help facilitate talks between the Afghan government Rights Commission (AIHRC) and the Judicial Consul- and the Taliban. According to Pakistani Foreign Min- tative Board of the Presidency. They are expected ister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, peace in Afghanistan to present a report to Karzai in two weeks, accord- would be in Pakistan‟s interests. In an interview with ing to Tolo News. International Security Assistance Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the Euro- Force (ISAF) spokesperson, General Joseph Blotz, pean Union Special Representative in Afghanistan, denied the existence of such a detention facility and Vygaudas Usackas, welcomed the Afghan-led recon- said there is only one American prison in Parwan ciliation process and added that it has [the EU‟s] province, which is anticipated to be handed over to “whole-hearted support”. the Afghan government in May 2011. (Com- ments? Click here) For the first time ever, Iran took part in a meeting of the International Contact Group on Afghanistan, re- ports The Washington Post. According to US Special FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE

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

Eight Afghan private security guards were killed after cording to the Associated Press, insurgents re- an alleged Taliban attack on their post in Helmand sponded to the raid with small arms fire and gre- province, reports RTT News. The security guards nades, leading coalition forces to return fire, which were providing protection for a construction com- led to the death of four militants; Khan was said to pany in charge of building a road that will link the be amongst those killed. The raid was part of NATO capital city, Lashkar Gah, with the volatile Sangin operation that began last month intended to de- district. In a statement released by the Taliban, the stroy Taliban strongholds in several volatile prov- group claimed responsibility for the attack, adding inces. „Operation Dragon Strike‟ has reportedly seen that 16 police officers were also killed. A second some progress including leading to the death or Taliban attack was reported a day earlier in Farah capture of several Taliban insurgents as a result of province, with 20 construction workers taken hos- various raids. Amongst them was a senior Taliban tage and two Taliban fighters killed in the incident, commander suspected of distributing bomb materi- says RTT News. According to the article, the attacks als to Taliban fighters in Kandahar province, accord- took place just one day after President Karzai eased ing to a NATO statement. A coalition air strike in away from an August decree that would disband all Kunduz province also resulted in the death of Tali- private security firms in Afghanistan by 2011. The ban leader Shirin Agha, while a raid in Herat killed decree will now allow for private security firms to several more insurgents. So far, 18 Taliban leaders guard embassies, diplomatic transport and resi- have either been killed or captured as part of the dences and military bases controlled by international operation, resulting in a significant decrease in Tali- forces. ban effectiveness, says AP.

During a joint operation by Afghan and coalition Over the weekend 17 NATO troops were killed in forces in Khost province, Ansari Khan, a commander various firefights and Improvised Explosive Device for the Haqqani Network, was reportedly killed. Ac- (IED) attacks, reports the Associated Press. Insur- 5 gents often use IEDs to attack coalition forces with Taliban however, who claimed responsibility for the guerilla-style tactics, the article explains. Civilian attack, declared a higher casualty figure. The article casualties were also reported in Zabul province after further explains that the Taliban often exaggerate an IED exploded next to a vehicle. During a suicide the effects of their attacks to increase fear amongst attack in Helmand province, the attacker reportedly civilians. (Comments? Click here) killed himself and a police officer, says Police Chief FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE Kamal Uddin of the Reg-i-Khan Nishin district. The

SOCIAL WELL-BEING Erin Foster, [email protected] / +1 757-683-4233 Back to top

The Afghan health sector received a boost last Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Firoz Koh Thursday with the official launch of the Afghan So- Foundation and the Agha Khan Foundation are join- cial Marketing Organization (ASMO). ASMO is an in- ing together in the conservation effort. dependent Afghan organisation that aims to raise awareness about health-care products and services. The Ministry of Education (MoE) has opened three The organisation will also provide subsidized health- new book depots in Kabul, reports Pajhwok Afghan care products with the goal of reaching women and News. Minister of Education Dr. Ghulam Farooq children to reduce maternal and child mortality. An Wardak explained to Pajhwok that the Danish Inter- estimated 70% of health care in Afghanistan is pro- national Development Agency (DANIDA), to date, vided by the private sector, often too expensive for has supported the construction of these and similar ordinary Afghans to access. In related news, the warehouses in six provinces. According to the MoE, Assistance Mission in Afghanistan 7.5 million students attend 13,000 schools in Af- (UNAMA) reports nearly seven million Afghans cele- ghanistan and are in need of textbooks. An esti- brated Global Hand Washing Day on 16 October. mated 40.5 million newly-printed textbooks are Hand washing activities were organized at more ready for distribution with 12 million more sched- than 10,000 schools throughout Afghanistan with uled to print in the next month and a half, these the hope that children will be the impetus for behav- new books will be stored at depots in 24 of the iour change and the prevention of illness. In Af- country‟s 34 provinces. ghanistan, a reported 67,500 children under the age of five die from diarrhoeal and respiratory infections Seventeen internet cafés were closed over the past each year, hand washing could reduce the incidence week by the Afghan Telecommunications Regula- of such diseases by nearly 40%. tory Authority (ATRA) after being accused of offer- ing illegal services, says Pajhwok. The ATRA claims The Afghanistan Ministry of Information and Culture these internet cafés had received warnings to block (MoIC) has called on the Afghan government and access to immoral „un-Islamic‟ websites and were the international community to save Afghanistan‟s found in violation. Café owners will be given the historical and cultural heritage sites at risk of col- opportunity to appeal their closure if they can prove lapsing and disappearing. According to a Tolo News to the Ministry of Communications and Information article, the MoCI does not have sufficient funding, Technology (MCIT) that their activities were not in staff or archaeologists to preserve the country‟s re- violation of Afghan law. (Comments? Click here) maining cultural heritage sites. The article claims that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and FOR MORE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE

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