TERMINAL EVALUATION – Report of the Independent Evaluation Team TABLE of CONTENTS
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TERMINAL EVALUA TION REPORT Project Number : AFG/H16 Strengthening Afghan – Iran Drug Border Control and Cross Border Cooperation (SAID) Report of the independent evaluation team Report of the Evaluator Everett Erlandson Reviewed and Edited by Stuart A. Steinberg, J.D., L.L.M. Enhanced International Law Enforcement Consultant UN Office on Drugs and Crime Kabul, Afghanistan Thematic area: Counter-Narcotics Enforcement Country: Afghanistan UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME Vienna – May 2009 1 Pr oje ct AFG/ H1 6 – Streng thenin g Afgha n – Iran Drug Borde r Con trol an d Cross Borde r Coope ratio n TERMINAL EVALUATION – Report of the Independent Evaluation Team TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………………………2 LIST OF ACRONYMS…………………………………………………………………………4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………….. 5 1. Summary Table of Findings, Supporting Evidence and Recommendations.............. 5 2. Summary Description of the Project Including Project Objectives.............................. 6 3. Major Finding of the Evaluation................................................................................. 7 4. Lessons Learned and Best Practices........................................................................ 7 5. Recommendations, Conclusions and Implications for UNODC.................................. 7 I. INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………. 8 1.1 Background and Context…………………………………………………………8 1.2 Purpose and Objective of the Evaluation…………………………………….. 11 1.3 Executing Modality/Management Arrangements…………………………….12 1.4 Scope of the Evaluation.................................................................................. 13 1.5 Evaluation Methodology…………………………………………………………. 14 2. ANALYSIS AND MAJOR FINDINGS…………………………………………………….15 2.1 General Comments…………………………………………………………….... 15 2.2 Overall performance assessment (Appropriateness, Relevance, Effectiveness, Efficiency)………………………………………………………16 2.3 Attainment of Objectives……………………………………………………….. 17 2.4 Achievement of Program/Project Results and Outputs…………………….. 18 2.5 Implementation (Operational Plan, Monitoring and Backstopping)……….. 20 2.6 Institutional and Management Arrangements………………………………... 22 2 Pr oje ct AFG/ H1 6 – Streng thenin g Afgha n – Iran Drug Borde r Con trol an d Cross Borde r Coope ratio n TERMINAL EVALUATION – Report of the Independent Evaluation Team 3. OUTCOMES, IMPACTS and SUSTAINABILITY……………………………………….22 3.1 Outcomes and Impacts….………………………………………………….……22 . 3.2 Sustainability……………………………………………………………………... 25 4. LESSONS LEARNED AND BEST PRACTICES………………………………………...26 4.1 Lessons Learned………………………………………………………………..... 26 4.2 Best Practices……………………………………………………………………. 27 4.3 Constraints……………………………………………………………………….. 28 5. RECOMMENDATIONS……………………………………………………………………29 5.1 Issues Resolved During the Evaluation………………………………………... 29 5.2. Actions/decisions recommended……………………………………………... 30 6. OVERALL CONCLUSIONS………………………………………………………………31 . Annexes ………………………………………………………………………………………33 1. Organizations and places visited and persons interviewed……………………………33 2. Relevant Materials…………………………………………………………………………33 3. Terms of Reference for Mid-term Evaluation, Project AFG/J55, Integrated Border Control on the Western and South-western Border....................................... 34 Disclaimer Independent Project Evaluations are scheduled and managed by the project managers and conducted by external independent evaluators. The role of the Independent Evaluation Unit (IEU) in relation to independent project evaluations is one of quality assurance and support throughout the evaluation process, but IEU does not directly participate in or undertake independent project evaluations. It is, however, the responsibility of IEU to respond to the commitment of the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) in professionalizing the evaluation function and promoting a culture of evaluation within UNODC for the purposes of accountability and continuous learning and improvement. Due to the disbandment of the Independent Evaluation Unit (IEU) and the shortage of resources following its reinstitution, the IEU has been limited in its capacity to perform these functions for independent project evaluations to the degree anticipated. As a result, some independent evaluation reports posted may not be in full compliance with all IEU or UNEG guidelines. However, in order to support a transparent and learning environment, all evaluations received during this period have been posted and as an on-going process, IEU has begun re- implementing quality assurance processes and instituting guidelines for independent project evaluations as of January 2011. 3 Pr oje ct AFG/ H1 6 – Streng thenin g Afgha n – Iran Drug Borde r Con trol an d Cross Borde r Coope ratio n TERMINAL EVALUATION – Report of the Independent Evaluation Team LIST OF ACRONYMS ABP Afghan Border Police ACM Anti-Coalition Militia ANA Afghan National Army ANP Afghan National Police ANSF Afghan National Security Forces BMTF Border Management Task Force CNPA Counter Narcotics Police Afghanistan EC European Commission GOA Government of Afghanistan HQ Headquarters MOF Ministry of Finance MOI Ministry of the Interior QRF Quick Reaction Force SOP Standard Operating Procedure UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNDP United Nations Development Program 4 Pr oje ct AFG/ H1 6 – Streng thenin g Afgha n – Iran Drug Borde r Con trol an d Cross Borde r Coope ratio n TERMINAL EVALUATION – Report of the Independent Evaluation Team EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. Summary table of findings (identified problems/issues), supporting evidence and recommendations Findings: identified Supporting evidence/examples Recommendations problems/issues 1. Virtually all border post Some posts very remote. No Improve roads. Demining locations difficult to access due paved or unpaved roads between actions must be undertaken as to poor roads. posts. Access to posts and areas a matter of operational safety for near them still heavily mined. ABP officers and advisors. 2. Lack of potable water at No wells or water tanks. Drill wells. Supply water tanks. some border posts. Around 200 officers per month Improve living conditions at 3. High rate of desertion. b order outposts. Increase pay. desert due to harsh living Provide death and disability co nditions, lack of benefits, l ow benefits. Provide more and pay and insufficient food. better qua li ty food. 4. Adverse security conditions Unable to travel to some ABP to provide additional police experienced while travelling to checkpoints due to lack of officers when H16 team is border posts. security. travelling to border checkpoints. 5. Extremely poor facilities at All border posts have to be 44 of 68 border posts. Difficult Two-third of border posts are refurbished to meet the to access. BMTF wants to shut structurally unsound and of poor standards under H16. Access them down and patrol from quality. The 44 border posts in has to be improved. BMTF regionally located brigade and this category extremely difficult to should not be making battalion HQ. Coverage of access due to poor roads and operational suggestions for extreme weather. Patrolling from border and equipment wear- brigade or battalion HQ will UNODC projects. Concept of and-tear will suffer. Will greatly border posts approximately one greatly limit coverage of border. increase maintenance costs. hour apart must be adhered to. 6. International stakeholders Different stakeholders other than duplicating H16 project H16 assisting ABP but not All stakeholders should meet to outputs. Communication by communicating with H16. In discuss duplication of efforts other stakeholders lacking. some cases others are and improving communications. duplicating H16 activities. 7. Pay competition for Taliban pays soldiers $300 per personnel between coalition month. Coalition and contractors partners, contractors, ACMs pay even more. ABP salaries are Increase pay of ABP officers and traffickers with ABP. Loss pathetic, between $70-120 per substantially; Should be on par month, lower than ANP or ANA. with private contractors. of ABP trainees to other ABP trainees leave for higher security positions. paying jobs. Lack of med-evac in emergency UNODC, ABP and MOI must 8. Lack of basic life support situation after contact with initiate a system to have med- systems. Poor quality medical tr f A evac available for all border care. affickers resulted in death o locations. ABP officers need BP officers. Lack of adequate regular health care provided. medical care causes officers to miss work. After UNODC supplies initial 9. No realistic, long-term supply of necessary equipment Functioning and adequate logistical and maintenance plan and parts, ABP has no plan for logistical and maintenance by ABP. continued procurement and support system must be maintenance support. designed and funded. 5 Pr oje ct AFG/ H1 6 – Streng thenin g Afgha n – Iran Drug Borde r Con trol an d Cross Borde r Coope ratio n TERMINAL EVALUATION – Report of the Independent Evaluation Team Findings: identified Supporting evidence/examples Recommendations problems/issues Outside evaluator engaged to UNODC finance failed to process conduct review of UNODC equipment request. Winter finance procedures in 10. UNODC finance refuses to clothing and cold-weather gear processing requests from law process payment for equipment not provided. ABP officers enforcement/counter-narcotics in a timely and reasonable at remote location. Leads to projects. Evaluator’s manner. potential life-threatening recommendations must be conditions