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| USAID
Information:
External Links:
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Afghanistan
Please note: All linked documents are in PDF format
| Objective |
SO Number |
FY 2004 |
FY 2005 |
FY 2006 |
| Agriculture and Alternative Livelihoods |
306-001 |
50,500 |
95,690 |
|
| Basic Education and Health |
306-002 |
187,555 |
70,725 |
|
| Infrastructure, Economic Governance & Democracy |
306-003 |
820,818 |
245,085 |
|
| Program Support |
306-004 |
20,507 |
15,500 |
48,000 |
| A democratic government with broad participation |
306-XXX |
|
|
40,000 |
| A thriving economy led by the private sector |
306-YYY |
|
|
412,000 |
| A better educated and healthier population |
306-ZZZ |
|
|
122,800 |
| Total (in thousands of dollars) |
1,079,380 |
427,000 |
622,800 |
Excludes P.L. 480. See Program Annex.
|
The Development Challenge: USAID opened its Mission in Afghanistan in 2002 in response to pressing
humanitarian needs confronting the country following the removal of the Taliban regime. Between 2002
and 2004, USAID transitioned from an emergency response to a developmental approach, focusing
assistance on sustainable, capacity-building activities that support U.S. interests in a stable, self-sufficient
nation. Now, following the first national democratic elections, development support to Afghanistan
remains at the center of U.S. strategic national interest. President Bush's National Security Strategy
pledges that the United States will provide assistance to “rebuild Afghanistan so that it will never again
abuse its people, threaten its neighbors, and provide a haven for terrorists." In support of this pledge, the
State Department and USAID have developed a joint strategic plan that specifically provides for
continued commitment of assistance to Afghanistan as a priority.
Afghanistan enters its third year since the fall of the Taliban and the end of 23 years of civil war with
optimism and hope for a bright future. The most important development in the post-Taliban era occurred
this past October with the completion of highly successful Presidential elections in which over eight million
people voted, with over 40% of voters being women. The peaceful election was a major statement by the
Afghan people that they are ready to choose new leadership that will focus on rebuilding the country.
Because Afghanistan is in the front lines of the war on terror, the U.S. Government (USG) and USAID in
particular are in a unique position to respond with appropriate programs to create new opportunities for
this deserving population. The USAID Mission in Afghanistan plays a key role in the reconstruction and
development of the country and works closely with other USG agencies, including the military, on
program development and implementation.
Despite remarkable progress in such a short time, much crucial work remains in order to provide Afghans
a more stable and productive life and an antidote for terrorism. Many social and economic indicators
continue to be the worst or close to worst in the world. The under-five infant mortality rate is 172 per
1,000, and maternal mortality is 1,600 per 100,000. Infectious diseases continue to constrain the ability
of many Afghans to contribute to the rebuilding of their society. Malaria and tuberculosis affect thousands
of Afghans each year, and Afghanistan is one of five countries that still has the wild polio virus. Many
Afghan children, particularly girls, do not have access to education. The agriculture sector, which makes
up well over 60% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is hampered by a lack of market access. The
growth of poppy threatens the long-term stability of Afghanistan and undermines the legitimate economy.
Many obstacles to economic investment and growth remain, and unless friendlier private sector rules and
regulations are adopted, the country will not be able to keep up its current rate of GDP growth. In
addition, Afghanistan’s ruined infrastructure continues to impede economic growth. The rule of law is
inconsistent, and local governing bodies employ questionable methods of dealing with crime. NGOs and
civil society could contribute significantly more to the country’s economic growth.
The most important and continuing constraint to USAID programming, as well as private sector
investment, is the security situation. The country remains a high threat post, and security considerations
often constrain USAID’s ability to implement and monitor projects throughout the country. While the
security situation is difficult, USAID believes that the Government of Afghanistan (GOA) and the large
majority of the Afghan people appreciate USAID and want the Agency to continue its work.
The USAID Program: USAID/Afghanistan is requesting FY 2005 and FY 2006 funds for three strategic
objectives and one program support objective. These objectives are focused on providing support to
Afghanistan's transition from a failed state to a stable, productive nation. Areas of support include:
economic growth, particularly economic policy and regulation and expanded rural incomes; access to
basic health services particularly for women and children; increased access to basic education; and the
growth of democratic practice through support to elections, media, and civil society. FY 2005 funds will be
used to implement the ongoing programs in agriculture, basic health and education, infrastructure,
economic governance and democracy, as described in the FY 2005 Congressional Budget Justification
(CBJ). In FY 2005, USAID will also initiate a new program providing alternative livelihoods options to
poppy cultivation. The specific activities to be funded by FY 2005 and FY 2006 appropriations are
described in more detail in this year's CBJ.
Despite remarkable progress in a short time, much work remains to rebuild the country's social fabric and infrastructure and chart a successful transition to democratic self-rule. Transition Initiatives (TI) funds will provide the necessary resource flexibility to support economic and political transition in Afghanistan, where political and economic conditions remain volatile. USAID requests TI resources in FY 2006 to:
- support economic growth by expanding rural incomes, improving access to economic and social infrastructure, and assisting with economic policy and regulation reforms;
- improve access to basic education;
- provide alternative livelihoods options to poppy cultivation through small business development, public works and infrastructure support, production of competitive agricultural products, and greater public access to credit and financing institutions; and
- strengthen public and private institutions necessary for democratic governance through enhancing capacity within the justice sector, supporting decentralization and local government, and strengthening civil society.
Other Program Elements: In addition to the activities described in the CBJ, USAID's Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance Bureau (DCHA) provides support to development and humanitarian response programs. During 2004, food for peace support from DCHA was approximately $49,158,400 and provided 79,330 metric tons of commodities to the United Nations (U.N.) World Food Program for development and humanitarian relief programs. These activities and resources benefited over five million individuals. DCHA provided an additional $9,896,870 in foreign disaster assistance during FY 2004, including more than $4.7 million in transitional shelter assistance, approximately $3.6 million towards winter programs, such as snow clearance and road rehabilitation, and $1 million for assisted returns of refugees.
Also, in FY 2004, $22,732,244 from DCHA was used to continue to build citizen confidence in the political development process, empower citizens to address basic community needs, and build an alliance between legitimate government structures and citizens. DCHA's rapid and flexible support for activities central to Afghanistan's transition also helps establish credibility and space for longer-term development assistance.
Other Donors: The top three donors are the United States, Japan, and the European Commission with the Government of Afghanistan (GOA) leading overall donor coordination through a system of Consultative Groups (CG). The Minister of Finance leads the core CG, which is composed of high-level representatives of each donor country, as well as representation from U.N. agencies and Afghan ministries. In addition, there are 13 technical CGs that focus on specific areas such as health, education, and economic growth, which are attended by representatives of key donors and ministries for each sector. In coordination with the CG process, the GOA has established the Donor Assistance Database which tracks reconstruction activities by donor and supports the implementation of the National Development Budget.
The Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), administered by the World Bank, provides a consolidated funding mechanism to permit the GOA to fund projects and programs. USAID has contributed $147 million to the ARTF, including $89 million in FY 2004. The ARTF provides a convenient mechanism through which USAID can provide support to the GOA, including direct support to recurrent costs such as salaries and operation of key government buildings, as well as special projects and investment programs. As the World Bank manages the ARTF, it meets the USG's criteria for accounting standards and allows USAID to closely monitor the use of U.S. taxpayers' funding for support to the GOA.
In addition to GOA-led coordination meetings, USAID meets directly with donor and U.N. representatives to discuss coordination of development activities. Through regular consultation with key donors, USAID is able to gauge the needs for support in critical sectors, as well as identify areas of unmet need.
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