USAID/OTI Afghanistan Field Report
April 2005
Program Description
USAID/OTI is increasing citizen awareness of and confidence in the process of recovery, rehabilitation and democratic political development in post-conflict Afghanistan. These aims are being accomplished by:
- Increasing the Afghan government's responsiveness to citizens' needs;
- Increasing citizen awareness of and participation in democratic processes; and,
- Increasing the capacity of the Afghan media.
OTI's rapid support for activities in Afghanistan's transition period helps establish credibility and space for longer-term development assistance. Working with central and provincial governments, national and international NGOs, informal community groups and media outlets, OTI identifies and supports critical initiatives that facilitate implementation of the Bonn Agreement, which was designed to move the country further along the continuum from war to peace.
The OTI/Afghanistan program started in October 2001 and is scheduled to end in June 2005. OTI is working closely with implementing partners and technical staff from OTI/Washington to ensure an effective close-out and handover of key activities and functions to the mission, other donors, and/or local partners. OTI/Afghanistan's funds have come from various sources, including Transition Initiative Funds (TI), International Disaster Assistance Funds (IDA), Development Assistance Funds (DA) and State Department Economic Support Funds (ESF). Projects are funded in 34 provinces of the country. OTI's current implementing partners are the International Organization for Migration-Afghanistan Transition Initiative (IOM-ATI) and Internews. IOM-ATI offices are located in Kabul, Bamyan, Gardez, Herat, Kandahar, Kunduz, Maimana and Mazar. Previous USAID/OTI partners included the Voice of America (VOA), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Ronco.
Country Situation
As warmer weather takes hold, the March upsurge in violence continued to escalate in April. The period running up to the Parliamentary elections scheduled this summer is considered to be a critical time for insurgents to derail the establishment of democratic processes. As access to areas cut off by the winter weather improves, US and Coalition Forces continue to work to destroy terrorist sanctuary in Afghanistan. The most problematic area is along the Afghan-Pakistan border, where there have been repeated bouts of fighting between anti-coalition militias (ACMs) and Afghan military/US military forces. Kandahar witnessed a number of violent incidents, including an April 17 bomb attack on five fuel trucks entering the U.S. military base in Kandahar that left three of the drivers critically injured. That same day U.S. and Afghan forces killed eight suspected Taliban guerrillas and captured 16 others to thwart an ambush in Zabul's Dai Chopan district in southern Afghanistan. On April 18 at least 12 insurgents were killed by US and Afghan forces after a failed rocket attack on a coalition base in Khost province. In the western province of Herat at the end of the month there was a clash between Afghan troops and police that reportedly left at least six people dead. While exact details remain unclear, apparently an argument involving a woman erupted into shooting. The incident occurred as the country was celebrating Independence Day, a commemoration of the Soviet pull-out from Afghanistan.
On April 6, a Chinook helicopter crashed during a sandstorm near Ghazni city, 80 miles south of Kabul. The helicopter was on a regular supply mission when it was hit by severe weather while returning to Bagram Air Field east of Kabul. Officials said 18 people were killed, including 15 U.S. service members and three civilian contractors. The Taliban immediately issued a statement taking credit for downing the Chinook, but there is no evidence to support this statement.
In early April President Karzai appointed a committee of locals and foreign representatives to review draft legislation aimed at regulating NGOs and aid agencies after concerns were voiced about the new NGO law. The draft legislation was unveiled in late March after a government study of the activities of some NGOs that was initiated due to commonly held perceptions that organizations are wasting international aid money. Afghanistan's Minister of Economy stated that the new law would empower his administration to control the activities of thousands of NGOs, heightening concerns among some NGOs that the law would further limit their ability to work in the country. Later in April, a compromise was reached among donors, NGOs and Afghan Government officials on specific articles that previously prohibited NGOs from bidding on construction projects. The compromise allows NGOs to bid on construction projects with a waiver from the Ministry of Economy and will likely force construction companies and contractors, currently registered as NGOs to register as contractors and corporate entities rather than NGOs. The revised legislation is awaiting President Karzai's approval before becoming law.
On April 6 U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced that Zalmay Khalilzad, US Ambassador and Special Envoy to Afghanistan, will be nominated as the next U.S. envoy to Iraq.
USAID/OTI Highlights
A. Narrative Summary
The OTI-funded Pajhwok News Agency continues to demonstrate its determination to expose the truth and not be intimidated by interests wanting to cover up issues. Recently a journalist filed a report detailing the threatening phone calls received at the OTI-funded radio station in Takhar province, and on police inaction on the issue. The threats appear to be originating from supporters of influential conservatives who are opposed to the station airing certain music and reports originating in Kabul that have addressed "land-grab activities." The Pajhwok report quotes the Deputy Governor as claiming efforts to identify the callers are underway. Station management have issued a statement that they will continue with business as usual.
Under a grant to extend the Sayara Novice Journalism Training Program (NJTP) at six universities, OTI also provisioned three of the NJTPs in Jalalabad, Khost and Kandahar with the equipment to produce radio programming and contribute to the national radio program "Youth Voice" that airs in Herat, Mazar and Kabul. Partnerships with the OTI-funded independent stations in Jalalabad, Khost and Kandahar are moving forward. Reports indicate that the NJTP student interns in these independent stations are well received and making significant contributions to these stations.
A delegation from Afghanistan attended a USAID-funded conference in Morocco on media development organized by the International Research & Exchange Board. The delegation included Mirwais Social, the Executive Editor of the popular OTI-funded program Salaam Watandar. The conference brought together journalists and media development professionals from a number of countries and discussions included the role of media and journalists in the development process. A panel discussion of "Reporting in Conflict Environments" featured a presentation by Mirwais Social. He spoke about the changing media situation in Afghanistan, with a focus on the challenges faced by the young independent Afghan media and news organizations in the country. He passionately argued that the international Dari/Pashtu radio stations broadcasting into Afghanistan are actually polarizing debate of sensitive political issues (DDR, gender and elections) and making a more subtle discussion of these issues by local media organizations more difficult.
Late in April at Paktia University in Gardez, OTI and the local NGO Tribal Liaison Office held the first provincial reconstruction workshop for the southeast. The primary audience was approximately 80 tribal elders from all districts of the province. Other participants included international organizations, donors, and local and national government officials. The goals of the workshop were to present information on national and provincial reconstruction plans, to explain the activities of reconstruction actors in Gardez, and to solicit information on how to improve coordination efforts. Improving security was also a major theme, since it is inexorably linked to successful reconstruction. The workshop was an important opportunity for the elders to engage the government and the international community as one body. As a result of this workshop, it is envisioned that both the government and international organizations will adopt better methods to engage the tribal elders of Paktia in the reconstruction process.
B. Grant Activity Summary
The following is a summary of OTI/Afghanistan cleared activities for the month of March 2005 and since program start-up. In March, 22 grants were closed and nine grants valued at $252,993 were cleared.
| Civil Society Organization Support |
1 |
$ 11,239 |
20 |
$ 1,315,869 |
| Community Impact Activities |
4 |
$372,650 |
406 |
$17,955,483 |
| Conflict Management |
|
|
6 |
$ 277,425 |
| Election Processes |
|
|
11 |
$ 3,423,521 |
| Justice/Human Rights |
|
|
14 |
$ 896,876 |
| Media |
1 |
$144,025 |
132 |
$14,598,422 |
| Transparency/Good Governance |
|
|
125 |
$ 8,092,839 |
| TOTAL |
6 |
$527,914 |
714 |
$46,560,435 |
| IOMAFG176 |
Independent Afghan News Agency, Pajhwok |
Pajhwok News Agency and media consumers |
| IOMGDZ081 |
Paktia Provincial Reconstruction Workshop |
Provincial shura and greater community |
| IOMGDZ082 |
Construction of retaining wall in Khost |
People of Sher Bazaar village |
| IOMKBL249/50 |
Road construction equipment |
People of Kabul |
| IOMKHD030 |
Construction of small bridge on Kabul/Herat bypass road |
People of Kandahar and regional travelers |
C. Indicators of Success
OTI's ATI Program Encourages Positive Change in Afghan Attitudes Toward the Involvement of Women in Construction Work
When ATI began gender mainstreaming its grants in 2002, most of the program's engineers were reluctant to join the effort. Women had never been involved in construction and to most of the engineers a more active role for women seemed an impossible task. The senior engineer in Kunduz was not convinced that the mainstreaming efforts were feasible. Over the last few years his attitude and engagement in the process has changed drastically. At a recent ATI workshop, he talked publicly about the importance of involving women in construction work. Not only did he talk about how this inclusion has benefited poor women in Kunduz, but he also explained the importance of the program's processes in this success. "You see, the combination of having women's involvement as part of the tendering point system and then using government representatives as outreach has made many poor women benefit from ATI projects in Kunduz," he explained.
The senior engineer from Kunduz is actively engaged in encouraging female involvement while ensuring good conditions. Recently he challenged a contractor about women's involvement with a canal rehabilitation project in Takhar Province. The canal has been a force for women's empowerment from the start. Throughout implementation, women have been employed for weaving the wire gabion cages that protect the sides of the canal. When the project's gender specialist found that the contractor was not paying the women fairly, the senior engineer took action and forced the contractor to pay the women a full wage. He then involved the director of the Department of Irrigation in this process to ensure that the instructions were followed. "These women are working hard, and you see that the quality is good," the ATI engineer told the contractor. Gender mainstreaming has largely been a success due to the active role that ATI engineers have taken. Their transformations reflect the possibilities for further change among Afghan men and women.
OTI's Local Knowledge and Experience Serve Beneficiary Communities
OTI funds a large number of irrigation projects across the country, the type of project that is generally among the top community priorities in areas where OTI works. While there are standard designs used for different types of water management projects (irrigation canals, retaining walls, siphons, etc.), each community's needs are specific to their location within a region. Creativity and flexibility in design, together with local knowledge, allow for a greater number of beneficiaries under more efficient projects. In southeastern Afghanistan OTI has been successful in combining local knowledge and technical ingenuity to create appropriate siphon designs.
In the remote villages of Sodak, Naziri and Form Bagh, staff implementing the OTI-funded ATI program identified that new irrigation structures were clearly needed - damaged retaining walls could not contain flood waters and antiquated waterways failed to sufficiently irrigate nearby fields. Two projects, using money provided by the Leahy Initiative, were approved to assist these communities. Working with the local government, which submitted technically sound designs for these projects, ATI staff felt it would be possible to create designs better suited for the beneficiary communities. Drawing on understanding of the community, experience with other irrigation projects, and some creativity, the designs were re-worked, with the goal to sculpt the initiative into a leaner project without compromising the community's safety or the infrastructure's usefulness.
After some revisions and recalculations, ATI succeeded. The new designs meet all project demands identified during the site visit for a fraction of the original cost. Water paths are being streamlined, extra stone masonry eliminated, and retaining walls lowered, which added together simplified the previous designs. The communities will be better served with the new designs, and due to the cost savings, additional projects can be funded.
D. Program Appraisal
The OTI Afghanistan program remains focused on the June 2005 end date and staff are holding weekly close-out meetings with IOM, the last major implementing partner. The IOM-implemented ATI program still has a number of open grants but close-out of these grants is going according to schedule. It still appears that only roughly 12 grants will be open as of the end of June and per discussions with the USAID Mission in Kabul these grants will shift over to Mission oversight.
During April, the OTI Cooperative Agreement with Internews was handed over to USAID Afghanistan and is now managed by the Mission's Democracy and Governance Office.
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
During the month of May 2005, USAID/OTI will:
- Continue working toward program close-out, scheduled for June 2005;
- Continue to monitor and evaluate existing projects;
- Transition the OTI Cooperative Agreement with IOM to the Mission's Provincial Reconstruction Team Program;
- Work on the final program evaluation and gender evaluation that officially began in Washington on April 25.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington: Elizabeth Callender, USAID/OTI/Afghanistan Program Manager, Tel: 202-712-4078, ecallender@usaid.gov
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