Tag Archive for Afghanistan

Human Terrain System Report: Local Governance in Rural Afghanistan

This paper is designed to act as a guide for working with local communities in rural Afghanistan at the wuluswali (district) level, primarily in the east and south. Afghan society has always been extremely diverse from district to district, requiring a flexible, multi-faceted approach to governance. This multi-faceted approach blended tribes, Islam and the state. The political upheaval of the past 40 years has disrupted Afghan society and the traditional structures which historically provided governance and social order, not just the Kabul-based government. It is important that the information in this guide is not seen as absolute or universally applicable, but rather as a baseline guide for understanding the complexities of local governance, or the lack thereof, in rural Afghanistan. There is no standard formula for success in Afghanistan due to its diversity; the only constant is the need for flexibility.

ISAF Afghan National Police Logistics Training Handbook

The mission of CJTF Phoenix is to train and mentor the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) to conduct independent, self-sustained Counter Insurgency (COIN) and Security Operations in order to defeat terrorism and provide a secure, stable environment within the borders of Afghanistan. The ANSF is primarily composed of the Afghan National Army (ANA), Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP), Afghan National Police (ANP), Afghan Border Patrol (ABP) and Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP).

Afghanistan Human Terrain Team Pashtun Homosexuality Report

Military cultural awareness training for Afghanistan often emphasizes that the effeminate characteristics of male Pashtun interaction are to be considered “normal” and no indicator of a prevalence of homosexuality. This training is intended to prevent servicemembers from reacting with typically western shock or aversion to such displays. However, slightly more in-depth research points to the presence of a culturally-dependent homosexuality appearing to affect a far greater population base then some researchers would argue is attributable to natural inclination. To dismiss the existence of this dynamic out of desire to avoid western discomfort is to risk failing to comprehend an essential social force underlying Pashtun culture—one with a variety of potential implications upon the efficacy and applicability of ISAF efforts and on the long-term future of Afghan society.

Classified USAID Report on Kabul Bank Corruption

Dubai real estate led depositors to rush to withdraw funds from Kabul Bank, the largest bank in Afghanistan. According to the Report of Kabul Bank in Conservatorship dated October 30, 2010, cited in a draft material loss review commissioned by USAID/Afghanistan, fraudulent loans were used to divert $850 million to insiders. This amount reportedly represented 94 percent of the bank’s outstanding loans.

ISAF Afghan Insurgent Reintegration Guide and Soldier Information Cards

The Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme (APRP) is active. It provides for both reintegration (where fighters leave the fight and peacefully rejoin their communities) and reconciliation (where entire insurgent groups reach a settlement with GIRoA that ends hostilities). Reintegration is the focus of this guide. Information is presented on the APRP, its place in the COIN Campaign and ISAF‟s role. It provides those in ISAF with what they need to work with community leaders and GIRoA and ANSF partners to build their understanding of the Programme and its opportunities. It is an Afghan Programme and ISAF‟s role is to assist and encourage GIRoA to implement it fully.

UNODC Afghanistan Opium Survey Winter Assessment 2011

The result of this assessment indicates that the current high price of opium did not produce an increase in opium cultivation in the highest cultivating provinces of Hilmand and Kandahar. In these two provinces the cultivation is expected to decrease in 2011. The reasons for this development were multiple and differed from area to area. In parts of Hilmand and Kandahar, farmers reported the persistence of cold and dry climate conditions which led to crop failure as the poppy would not germinate. There also been a changing political environment in Hilmand with the Governor taking initiatives to convince elders and farmers to reduce the amount of poppy planted. This was not systematically captured by the survey, but it may have played a role as well. In both provinces, military operations were conducted by Afghan and international forces around the time of poppy planting in main poppy cultivating areas. Although these operations were not directed against poppy farmers, the coincidence of troupes being present at planting time may also have discouraged farmers from planting poppy.

(U//FOUO) U.S. Army Human Terrain Team Commander’s Guide

Human terrain teams (HTTs) consist of five to nine personnel deployed by the HTS to support field commanders. HTTs fill the socio-cultural knowledge gap in the commander’s operational environment and interpret events in his AO. The team, individuals with social science and operational backgrounds, deploys with military units to bring knowledge about the local population into a coherent analytic framework. The teams also assist in building relationships with the local community in order to provide advice and opportunities to commanders and staffs in the field.

U.S. Army Human Terrain System Afghanistan Pashtun Tribal Analysis

This report consists of two main parts: the first part is an overview of the existing historical and anthropological research on Pashtun “tribes” in Afghanistan, and the second part examines how “tribes” behave in Afghanistan. It is based mostly on academic sources, but it also includes unclassified government information and research performed by HTS Human Terrain Teams, which have been attached to U.S. Army brigades since 2007.

Afghanistan Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP) Spending Data 2010-2011

This data represents a complete breakdown of Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP) and Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) planned spending in 2010-2011 by province and per capita as reported in CENTCOM’s CIDNE (Combined Information Data Network Exchange). The data includes information on more than 4300 projects going back as far as 2001.

Afghanistan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development Strategic Intent 2010-2014

With this new five-year Strategic Intent, MRRD reaffirms its determination to respond to longterm poverty challenges in rural areas. It remains committed to improve the quality of its services while establishing itself as a leader in policy-making for the rural development sector, using its extended presence in the field and its deep understanding of communities for designing evidence-based policies. MRRD’s ultimate goal is to reduce poverty in rural areas and to pave the way for other actors to complement its endeavours. For MRRD, poverty alleviation can only be pursued by tackling all complex causes of poverty, in a holistic manner. The essence of rural development thus lies in partnerships, which will continue to be nurtured, cultivating a virtuous circle of development.

Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan District Development Program Lessons Learned

This paper attempts to analyze the initial lessons learned after the launch of DDP in the districts of Nad Ali and Marja in Helmand. The analysis covers four major areas of program governance: organization, vision, leadership and stakeholder engagement, benefits realization management, and planning and control. The analysis is based on direct observations made during IDLG field missions to Kandahar, Nad Ali and Marja as well as a number of discussions held with various stakeholders during regular DDP planning meetings and a conference held at the UK Embassy on 11 April 2010.

Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan District Delivery Program Secretariat Report

The objective of the District Delivery Program (DDP) is to establish or improve the visibility of the Government by holistically engaging the governance system at the district level to ensure that the basic level public services are available directly to communities. The District Delivery Program is a process that results in a package of services to be delivered to the districts. It aims to establish or visibly improve the government capacity at the local level in key terrain districts. It is not meant to replace ongoing activities in those districts. Parallel planning at the national and local level will preclude duplication of effort. The District Delivery Program is centered on two principles: 1) the Provincial Governor and District Governors offices, in conjunction with line Ministries, deliver services; and 2) that the services provided are a result of a consultative process with a local Council (representative body of the people).

Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Qarghayee District Delivery Plan

Qarghayee is relatively secure area of Laghman province, being 98% is under government control with the exception of some remote areas such as Tour Ghar, Trager, Zengoor, Shade Bagh , Chon Gay and China Ray. Within these areas insurgents is a potential threat against government actions. The total population of the district is 324500 people living in 139 large villages and 500 smaller settlements. The District Development Assembly is active at the local level with a total membership of 16 people. There is also a tribal shura present with a membership of 65 people from different tribes of Qargahaee. The ulema shura has 15 members, all of which religious elders with good reputations within their communities.

Da Afghanistan Bank Analysis of the Condition of the Afghan Banking System August 2010

Overall the banking system is profitable and well capitalized for the month ending August 2010. So far, however four banks were in loss for the month under review. Liquidity and FX positions are in accordance with the ratios set by the Central Bank, except for five banks that crossed the set limit on overall and individual currency basis. Total loans and total deposits of the banking system have positive growth, while total assets of the system have a negative growth for the month ending August 2010.