© MOD NL © MOD Canada © MOD Canada Progress in Afghanistan Progress in Bucharest Summit 2-4 April 2008 Bucharest Summit2-4 Progress in Afghanistan Contents page 1. Foreword by Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, ..........................1 Jean-François Bureau, and NATO Spokesman, James Appathurai 2. Executive summary .........................................................................................................................................2 3. Security ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 • IED attacks and Counter-IED efforts 4 • Musa Qala 5 • Operations Medusa successes - Highlights Panjwayi and Zhari 6 • Afghan National Army 8 • Afghan National Police 10 • ISAF growth 10 4. Reconstruction and Development ............................................................................................... 12 • Snapshots of PRT activities 14 • Afghanistan’s aviation sector: taking off 16 • NATO-Japan Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects 17 • ISAF Post-Operations Humanitarian Relief Fund 18 • Humanitarian Assistance - Winterisation 18 5. Governance ....................................................................................................................................................... 19 • Counter-Narcotics 20 © MOD Canada Foreword The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission is approaching five years of operations in Afghanistan. This report is a snapshot - rather than an exhaustive list of efforts by all contributing nations - of where progress is being made, in the main areas in which the international community is providing support to the Afghan Government. It makes no claim to show all sides of every issue relating to Afghanistan’s development. NATO is not impartial in Afghanistan – we have chosen the side of the UN, the Afghan Government and the Afghan people. But it is accurate; the information herein is drawn from authoritative sources, including within NATO. Where possible, we have identified those sources, and given examples to substantiate our assertions. The conclusion we draw from this report is simple: this broad interna- tional effort to help Afghanistan build a more stable and secure future is achievable, and it is being achieved. Of course, real challenges remain, and this will be a long-term effort; but the information contained in this report gives reason for optimism. James Appathurai Jean-François Bureau NATO Spokesman Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy 1 Progress in Afghanistan Executive Summary August 2008 marks the fifth anniversary of NATO’s presence in Afghanistan. Set against the devastating effect of decades of conflict, these five years have witnessed substantial progress in all spheres of Afghan life – from a reasonably stable security situation in most of the country to a massive increase in the number of health clinics and children in schools. Since 2003, NATO-ISAF has gradually extended its reach and is now responsible for security across the whole country. The number of our troops has grown steadily from the initial 5,000 in Kabul to the current 47,000 ISAF personnel in theatre. Today, large parts of the country are relatively stable with no or very few security incidents per month even if the security situation in southern Afghanistan and parts of the East remains challenging for international NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer is and Afghan security forces. welcomed by Mullah Salaam, governor of Musa Qala. There is room for cautious optimism. In 2007, the direct engagement of Afghan National Army (ANA) and ISAF routinely defeated militants. Although the overall number of security incidents across Afghanistan has increased, this Although the security situation remains challenging, corresponds to the expansion of Afghan National Security military success has allowed for significant strides in Forces (ANSF) and NATO-ISAF operations to areas reconstruction and development in many areas as well as formerly considered to be extremist strongholds. In 2007, helping support improvements in governance at both 70% of security incidents were confined to 10% of national and local levels. ISAF’s operations are providing Afghanistan’s 398 Districts. These districts contain less the space and opportunities for economic and political than 6% of the Afghan population. progress. In some parts of the country ISAF’s routine presence is sufficient to allow construction and This progress would not be possible without the increasing development to blossom. Elsewhere, ISAF is fighting for effectiveness of our Afghan partners. The ANA is becoming the space to allow reconstruction and development to a professional, well-trained and equipped force that will be begin. Musa Qala was an important example. able to fully provide for its country’s security. In 2002, there was no ANA to speak of. Today, the ANA stands at around More than 4,000 km of roads have been built where only 50,000; every two weeks, the Kabul Military Training 50 km existed in 2001, the rehabilitation of the North-East Centre graduates 1,100 more soldiers. The ANA is power system has advanced and access of the rural increasingly taking the lead in security operations and households to electricity has been significantly increased. played a key role in liberating Musa Qala from Taleban In 2007 alone, ISAF nations completed 1,080 civil-military extremists in December 2007. Ninety per cent of the cooperation (CIMIC) projects. Afghan public sees the ANA as an honest and fair 1 institution. The evolution of the ANA and particularly the Afghan-led programmes, such as the National Solidarity ANP are essential pillars in building an Afghanistan that is Programme (NSP), have been increasingly successful. at peace with itself and its neighbours. Since its foundation, the NSP has allowed two thirds of Afghan communities (more than 20,000 villages) to finance rural development projects worth up to USD 60,000 each.2 1 e Asia Foundation Survey 2007. 2 Source: National Solidarity Programme, Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development. 2 OTAN-Afga-Brochure.indd 2 26/03/08 15:46:59 In a young nation where the median age is 17.53, 2,000 One of Afghanistan’s toughest challenges remains schools were built or repaired in the last five years and narcotics. Although 80% of Afghans feel that poppy around 6.4 million children (including 1.5 million girls) are cultivation is wrong, Afghanistan still produces 93%7 of the now in schools. world’s supply of opium. The influence of the narcotics trade continues to hamper progress in key areas: security, Since 2001, both infant and under-five mortality has governance, economic development and, increasingly, declined by 26% and 22% respectively.4 health. That being said, some encouraging developments have been recorded in recent years due to Afghan-led and In 2001, 8% of Afghans had access to some form of international community-supported efforts. These include healthcare. Now more than 80%5 of the population has that the non-opium economy has grown at an average of access to medical care. 12% over the past four years, the number of poppy-free provinces has grown from six in 2006 to 13 in 2007.8 Despite all this progress, significant challenges remain. These continue to be addressed by NATO-ISAF in concert Afghan public support for international involvement in with our Afghan partners as well as the UN Assistance Afghanistan remains high with around 70% of Afghans Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and other key supporting the presence of international forces. The international actors. majority of Afghans believe their country is going in the right direction and 84% support their current government ISAF’s Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) have (as opposed to 4% who would support the Taleban). They supported their local partners and representatives of the also maintain a positive view of reconstruction efforts with relevant ministries on governance issues, including the 63% saying that reconstruction efforts in their area have reform of the justice system, and routinely take part in local been effective since 2002.9 shuras. They have also been instrumental in developing, with their Afghan partners, all 34 Provincial Development Plans that will help implement the Afghan National Development Strategy (ANDS), the country’s main national planning and budgeting exercise and principal poverty reduction strategy.6 NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General John Craddock are briefed on the ISAF achievements in Musa Qala. 3 Source: CIA World Factbook. 4 Source: Afghanistan Themes (US). 7 Source: UN International Narcotics Control Board Report, March 2008. 5 Source: International Monetary Fund Country Report no. 08/73, 2008. 8 Source: UNAMA, 2008. 6 UN Secretary General’s Report on Afghanistan, March 2008. 9 Source: BBC/ABC/ARD Poll, December 2007. 3 Progress in Afghanistan In key areas of the South and parts of the East of the country, security incidents have risen in number over the Security past two years since ISAF took over responsibility there. Direct engagement of the ANA and ISAF troops in 2006 led the militants to adopt guerrilla and terrorist tactics, such as roadside bombings and attacks against civilian targets. The provision of security is the focus of the ISAF mission. Whilst aimed at affecting Afghan and international public Since NATO took command of