PRT members reflect on accomplishments, future challenges for Nangarhar

After nearly nine months in Afghanistan, the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team began returning to the United States, June 25.

Members of the team expressed pride in the accomplishments they achieved during the deployment, but were quick to point out much work remains unfinished.

Some of the more successful initiatives the PRT worked on include the District Delivery Program, strategic planning efforts with provincial directors, and developing a partnership with Afghanistan’s second largest undergraduate institution, the University of Nangarhar, said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Anderson, Nangarhar PRT commander, from Dallas.

The District Delivery Program is an Afghan-led initiative that seeks to increase competency and capability of government officials at the lowest levels, said Mouhsen Habib, Nangarhar PRT provincial governance and development officer, from Lake Forest, Calif. Nine of Nangarhar’s 22 districts currently receive or are scheduled to receive DDP benefits.

Those benefits include greater pay for district officials, funding for operations and maintenance of current facilities, and approval of new facilities, Habib continued. However, beyond simply increasing the monetary flow districts receive, the DDP arguably offers even more value by building relationships between various levels of government, said Habib.

“This program is critical and very important for transition, especially if you want to connect the sub-national government to the national government,” he explained.

Afghan officials who hosted the DDP in their districts are equally optimistic about the program.

“People will trust the government more than they used to because of the DDP,” said former Kuz Kunar District Gov. Hajji Abdul Qayum during his district’s assessment in late April. “Before, there was corruption. Now, there’s order.”

The DDP is less than a year old, but the successes it’s already accrued have made Habib one of its greatest defenders. He said he hopes the Afghan government remains committed to the program and builds on the strong foundation they’ve laid.

“Any time you introduce a program, you’ve got to let it mature,” he said. “If you keep changing strategies, you’ll never succeed.”

Beyond stressing improved service delivery for districts, the PRT also worked in close coordination with government administrators at the provincial level, said U.S. Army Spc. Anthony Palo, Nangarhar PRT civil affairs specialist, from Minneapolis, Minn. They’ve placed special emphasis on building the capacity of line directors, the officials responsible for functional areas of governance in Nangarhar, like infrastructure or electricity.

The two directorates most influenced by the PRT are health and education, Palo continued. The directorates severely lacked strategic planning when the team arrived in country; however, through close coordination with the directors, they developed five-year plans that outlined how the directors will allocate their scarce resources in the future.

“If these plans are adhered to, I believe the health and education sectors of Nangarhar will be incredibly successful,” Palo said.

Beyond planning, though, the PRT also stressed the importance of confronting corruption with some notable successes. During a meeting, May 28, with his subordinates, Dr. Baz Mohammad Sherzad, Nangarhar director of public health, made it clear he wouldn’t tolerate bribery in his directorate.

“If someone offers my doctors a bribe, it’s like they’re offering me a bribe,” he said. “I’m not interested in their dirty money.”

While the PRT’s efforts at ensuring the success of the DDP and provincial line directors focused on increasing competency of the current government, the PRT’s approach to the University of Nangarhar has been aimed at positively influencing tomorrow’s leaders in Afghanistan, said U.S. Air Force Capt. Ryan Ernst, Nangarhar PRT information operations officer, from Hastings, Minn.

“We’ve concentrated on teaching good governance today so we can break the cycle of oppression and corruption,” Ernst said. “We’re fighting yesterday’s kids today, and we don’t want to fight today’s kids tomorrow.”

Operations at the university placed importance on empowering the students to have a say in their undergraduate experience, Ernst explained. For instance: the PRT facilitated the creation of Afghanistan’s first collegiate-level student council. The council polled their fellow students on their needs, and found the most pressing issue was lavatories for the female dorms. The PRT then provided financial aid so the students could build bathrooms themselves, increasing their sense of ownership on their campus.

While empowering the students is a big priority at the university, the PRT recognized that to enact major changes, they would need to enlist outside help, Ernst said. To that end, they approached the University of Arizona about the prospects of collaborating with Nangarhar for the mutual benefit of both colleges.

“The University of Arizona stepped forward to partner with the UoN on a $1 million, three-year program,” he said. “They’ll help build a communications department facility, and then initiate an exchange program to mentor the faculty in the department.”

Even with success on numerous governance fronts, the outgoing PRT recognized the work in Nangarhar is far from complete.

Nangarhar has the potential to be Afghanistan’s premier province, said Anderson. They have government officials who know what they’re doing and where they need to go to be successful.

“The critical elements of governance are here; the pockets of competence and capacity are here,” he said.

However, the government needs to focus on maintenance and sustainment of current facilities to expand service delivery to the people, an effort Anderson said he hopes the next PRT emphasizes.

In the end, the team can look back on its time in Nangarhar and know they contributed significantly to the province’s stability, said Anderson.

“Nangarhar is definitely a better place due to our deployment,” he said. “The team can go home with their heads held high.”

PRT guides Nangarhar districts’ strategic planning

Members of the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team visited the Muhmand Dara and Rodat Districts, May 16, to assist local government members with strategic planning initiatives.

The PRT helped the districts set priorities assisted them in fulfilling their constituents’ needs, said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Anderson, PRT Nangarhar commander, from Dallas.

Rodat government officials are focused on largely intangible requests to improve the quality of life for their constituents. According to Hazrat Khan Khaksar, the district’s subgovernor, the top priorities included capacity building initiatives to improve the competency of civil servants, increased communication between rival tribes in the district, and improved documentation on borders to lower instances of land disputes. Overall, the officials present said they believed their population is pleased with its government’s capacity.

“This is truly the people’s government,” said Rodat District Delivery Assembly chairman Malik Rheeulah. “That’s why the people are so happy with it.”

Muhmand Dara, one of the more successful districts in Nangarhar, was already providing a high level of service delivery to its citizenry, said Nor Agha Saranwal, the district’s subgovernor. They produced a prioritized list of their needs including hiring more teachers, expanding clinics and building retaining walls to help protect agricultural land against floods.

“We are implementing our projects, emphasizing both quantity and quality,” Saranwal continued.

The PRT also prepared Muhmand Dara for their upcoming District Delivery Program assessment. The DDP is a national program that involves a visit from a central team from Kabul to discuss local needs with district subgovernors, extension representatives and community leaders, said Ricky Majette, United States Agency for International Development general development officer from Raleigh, N.C.

To present a compelling case to their Kabul-based team, Muhmand Dara must marry its strategic plans and pre-existing infrastructure in a concise format, explained Anderson. The DDP will both provide new resources for the district as well as improve current facilities.

“Just because you have a school doesn’t mean you won’t get money for repairs or supplies the school needs,” said Anderson.

 

Nor Agha Saranwal, Muhmand Dara District subgovernor, discusses his strategic planning initiatives with the Nangarhar PRT at the district center, May 16.

Rodat Subgovernor Hazrat Khan Khaksar, left, describes his vision for his district to Ricky Majette, United States Agency for International Development general development officer from Raleigh, N.C., center, and U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Anderson, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team commander, from Dallas, right, at the Rodat District Center May 16.

PRT, GIRoA discuss solution to Jalalabad overcrowding

Members of the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team met with Lal Agha Kaker, Jalalabad’s mayor, to discuss the Regional Afghan Municipalities Program for Urban Population and revenue generation at the mayor’s office May 9.

RAMP UP will fund a parking lot for the city aimed at easing concerns related to rickshaw vendors, said Dan Ruge, United States Agency for International Development field officer from Denver and the PRT’s lead on Jalalabad development.

The meeting was the first between Kaker and Ruge, who recently arrived in Afghanistan. Kaker outlined a number of issues in his city, most stemming from overcrowding.

"Jalalabad was built for 50,000, but currently has a population of over 200,000," said Kaker.

This situation created unique problems for the city. One of the more pressing issues is related to rickshaw vendors.

Many of the city’s residents use rickshaws to sell their products, Kaker said. The rickshaws are a heavy source of congestion, responsible for traffic jams as well as clogging up the city’s sidewalks.

USAID proposed to build a parking lot for registered rickshaws to operate, said Ruge.

The rickshaw parking lot will operate as a market similar to a flea market, he continued. The rickshaw owners will have to pay a rental fee to the city, thus creating a revenue source for further development.

The RAMP UP program will be the primary source of funding for the parking lot, said Ruge. If successful, this project will allow RAMP UP to invest more heavily in Jalalabad.

"This is only the beginning of what I hope to accomplish during my first two years here," Ruge said. "This project is very important for the future of Jalalabad, and I’m excited to get started working on it."

"I am happy that Dan has been selected as the lead for Jalalabad," said Kaker. "I look forward to doing good work with him."

RAMP UP is a project designed to build the capacity of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan officials and deliver small service projects to help the municipality generate revenue and provide services to the citizens of Jalalabad.

Members of the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team met with Jalalabad’s mayor and his staff in his office to discuss the Regional Afghan Municipalities Program for Urban Population and revenue generation May 9.

PRT, GIRoA partner to increase health service in Nangarhar

Members of the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team met with officials from the province’s Public Health Directorate at the Behsood District Center May 7 to discuss health issues across Nangarhar and ways to better connect provincial officials with their district counterparts.

Nangarhar’s Public Health Directorate created a strategic plan aimed at improving healthcare over the next five years, said Dr. Gul Abi Norwal.

The plan focuses on key service delivery shortfalls, such as limited access to healthcare, the poor quality of the available care, and determining the role of the private sector in healthcare issues.

However, even with their relatively sophisticated strategy, the Public Health Directorate said they feel disconnected from other levels of government.

Members of the directorate often expressed frustration about the information flow between the provincial and district levels.

During the Provincial Development Council Feb. 27, Dr. Bas Mohammad Shirzad, Nangarhar’s director of Public Health, complained about organizations building health clinics in Nangarhar without his knowledge or supervision. According to U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Anderson, Nangarhar PRT commander from Dallas, the May 7 meeting was a substantial step toward solving these communication barriers.

The root of the issue is the province and its subordinate districts often create plans and submit them to the national government without synchronizing their efforts, said Anderson. This is a systemic issue across Nangarhar, not a concern isolated to healthcare.

“We think that one of the main weaknesses within the government is communication,” Anderson explained.

In response to this shortcoming, the PRT created a strategy for connecting the province with its districts through a series of focused meetings, said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Scott Fee, Nangarhar PRT civil military operations officer from Virginia Beach, Va.

The meeting established a schedule and plan of attack for the Public Health Directorate, Fee continued. Future discussions will involve provincial officials explaining their plan to the various districts, followed by discussion regarding shortfalls and needs at the district level.

The strategy was met with enthusiasm by the government officials involved in the plan.

“On behalf of the public health department, I am very glad that we’re having this meeting so we can sit down and talk face to face and solve our problems,” said Norwal.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Anderson, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team commander from Dallas, discusses healthcare issues with representatives from the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from Nangarhar at the Behsood District Center May 7.

Behsood District Development Assembly Chairman Malik Nehmat Halimi discusses healthcare issues at his district center May 7.

Two Nangarhar districts undergo national-level assessment

Representatives from Afghanistan’s Independent Directorate of Local Governance performed a field assessment at Nangarhar Bati Kot and Kuz Kunar District Centers to implement the District Delivery Program April 23 -27.

The DDP is a national program that involves an IDLG team from Kabul who travel to districts across Afghanistan and discusses local needs with district sub-governors, extension representatives and community leaders, said Ricky Majette, United States Agency for International Development general development officer from Raleigh, N.C.

The purpose of the DDP isn’t necessarily to construct new buildings, but rather to optimize service delivery to the people, said Dr. Mohammad Shafiq, IDLG team lead.

“We want to effectively utilize the resources that are available,” he said.

Bati Kot and Kuz Kunar are the sixth and seventh districts in Nangarhar to undergo the DDP. Majette saidboth districts have unique circumstances which make them particularly receptive to the benefits a program like the DDP offers.

Bati Kot’s outgoing district sub-governor, Hajji Niamatullah Noorzai, has created a 15-year plan outlining his vision for development and growth in Bati Kot. His ambitious strategy includes building the district’s infrastructure, particularly roads and electricity. Then, once a strong economic foundation is established, he plans on attracting investors to create at least five food-production factories in the district, capitalizing on the district’s strong agricultural foundation.

As for Kuz Kunar, the local provincial reconstruction team has assisted them in their preparation for their DDP since early January, said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Anderson, Nangarhar PRT commander from Dallas.

“Kuz Kunar has many of the elements that we want to empower, many of the elements that we want to encourage among other districts,” Anderson said. “It has a strong (District Development Assembly) under a respected leader, a district sub-governor who’s willing to work and get out of his office and meet with constituents, and the right level of engagement between the people and the government.”

Even considering the two districts’ advanced capabilities, they still face problems.

Security issues in Bati Kot are the main concern driving down economic growth, Noorzai said.

“Security is a very big problem for us,” he said. “Most of the residents in this part of Afghanistan go to other countries to start businesses or find job opportunities.”

The main issue facing Kuz Kunar is the lack of improved roads, said outgoing Sub-Gov. Hajji Abdul Qayum. Beyond that, the district mainly needs renovation of old structures to effectively meet the needs of the people.

While still a relatively new process, the DDP is already producing benefits for the people of Afghanistan and connecting them to their government, said Majette.

“The DDP is working, and hopefully other districts are paying attention and want to be a part of such a process,” Majetter said.

“People will trust the government more than they used to because of the DDP,” said Qayum. “Before, there was corruption. Now, there’s order.”

Hajji Niamatullah Noorzai, Bati Kot's outgoing district sub-governor, left, and Dr. Mohammad Shafiq, Independent Directorate of Local Governance District Delivery Program team lead, right, discuss the district's strategic goals during their DDP field assessment at the district center April 25.

Government officials and tribal elders gather at the Bati Kot District Center, Afghanistan, April 25 to discuss their District Delivery Program assessment.

A Kuz Kunar elder voices his concerns with Dr. Mohammad Shafiq, Independent Directorate of Local Governance District Delivery Program team lead, center, and Mohammad Naim, Kuz Kunar's Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development extension representative, right, during the district's DDP field assessment April 27.

District Delivery Program fills gaps in Kama government institutions

Representatives from Afghanistan’s Independent Directorate of Local Governance performed a field assessment of Nangarhar’s Kama District in order to implement the District Delivery Program there, April 10-12.

The DDP is a relatively new process by which Kabul conducts an in-depth examination of a district’s needs and creates a plan to ensure local government institutions receive the funding and manning they need to fulfill the needs of their people, said Mouhsen Habib, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team provincial governance and development officer from Lake Forest, Calif.

The DDP process consists of five steps, said Dr. Mohammad Shafiq, the IDLG team lead sent to Kama. As part of the first step, the IDLG contingent conducted their ground assessment with Kama representatives.

“We don’t know what problems you have,” Safiq told district representatives as he explained the DDP process. “You are running this program. You are at the forefront.”

With the ground assessment complete, the team now has 10 business days to compile a report of their findings. After the report is completed, they will fill any vacancies the government has, engage in capacity building sessions to increase government competency, and fund both small projects, such as buying furniture and office supplies, and large projects, like building schools and other structures a district identifies as a need.

Kama is the fifth district in Nangarhar to undergo a DDP. However, it IDLG ranked it as the most advanced district in all of Nangarhar. Their current service delivery and advanced agriculture infrastructure both make it uniquely suited to the types of services a DDP can provide said Shafiq.

The district’s subgovernor, Engineer Muhamman Turav, wasn’t surprised to hear Kama ranked so high on IDLG’s scale. He related an anecdote about former Afghan President Mohammad Daoud Khan dubbing the district “Little America” in the 70s, a title they proudly embrace to this day.

Despite its advanced capacity to govern, Kama still faces many diverse, difficult challenges.

“Of course, you have many problems,” Shafiq told Kama officials. “I can’t promise we’ll solve 100 percent of them; however, we will try. I can promise to bring all of your issues back to Kabul with me.”

Issues identified by the Kama officials included building eight schools, improving three roads and holding a capacity-building workshop for members of the government, among other requests all coupled with the number of citizens who would be affected by the improvements.

Provincial Governor Gul Agha Sherzai and his deputy governor, Mohammad Gardewal, both expressed their commitment to ensuring the DDP helps their people out. Sherzai said he was dissatisfied with government officials who weren’t connected to the people of Nangarhar, and that he would hold his officials accountable.
With the support provided by the DDP, Sherzai continued, there was no reason for members of the government to fail at providing services.

“I’ll fire directors who can’t do their work and bring in people who can,” he warned.

The biggest success of the DDP is it connects the people to their district, provincial and national governments to a level rarely seen in Afghanistan, said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Anderson, Nangarhar PRT commander from Dallas.

“I am thrilled at the commitment shown by government representatives at all levels throughout the DDP process,” Anderson said. “The district officials were well-prepared with their facts and figures, the provincial administration threw its full weight behind it, and the team from Kabul was incredibly receptive and professional. The government in Kabul is truly listening to the needs of the farmers and merchants.

"When we arrived in country, DDP had more skeptics than champions, yet the government has made it into a functioning process,” Anderson continued. “It's programs like this that demonstrate the small steps through which the Afghan government is building itself."

Dr. Mohammad Shafiq, left, Independent Directorate of Local Governance team lead, discusses the District Delivery Program with Kama District Subgovernor Engineer Muhamman Turav, right, at the district center, April 11. Shafiq's team will take Turav's concerns back to Kabul to procure funding required to solve his district's issues.

Nangarhar Governor Gul Agha Sherzai, center, briefs administration officials on his expectations for the Kama District Delivery Program at his palace, April 10. The DDP is a relatively new program aimed at connecting the national government of Afghanistan to constituents at the lowest level.

Dr. Mohammad Shafiq, Independent Directorate of Local Governance team lead, briefs Kama officials on the priority lists they assembled at the district center, April 12. These priority lists will be used to create a comprehensive strategy for Kama's future service delivery.

Nangarhar's Newly-appointed deputy governor, Mohammad Gardewal chairs his first provincial administrative.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Nangarhar's newly-appointed deputy

governor, Mohammad Gardewal, chaired his first provincial administrative

meeting at the governor's house March 31.

Some of the topics raised included the need for a strategic plan in the

province, currency issues and proposed government contracts.

The weekly meeting is nominally designed to discuss contracts, explained

Lt. Col. Brian Panton, from Silver Spring, Md., lead civil affairs

officer, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team.

The most pressing matter is the provincial government still lacked a

comprehensive plan for the next budgetary year.

"We don't have a plan, so we're confused and lost," said Dr. Allah Dad,

Nangarhar's education line director. "This is a big problem. We need to

fix it."

Sayed Qayas, the economic line director, said one of the difficulties

preventing the province from creating a unified plan was a lack of

communication between government officials and outside donors.

"We need to create better coordination between international

organizations, non-governmental organizations and the government," Qayas

said.

Gardewal signalled his commitment to tackling the strategic plan head-on

by instructing his line directors to compile all their documentation

relevant to a provincial plan, then he scheduled a meeting in April to

begin debate and discussion solely on the province's resources and

goals.

Another topic of contention was the unwillingness of citizens in the

province, particularly in the capital city of Jalalabad, to using the

official currency of the country, the Afghani. The assembled

representatives all agreed that this reluctance by their constituents

undermined economic prosperity in the region.

Proposed solutions to the currency problem ranged from better messaging

to the people of Nangarhar to potential criminal penalties for using

other nations' money. Gardewal tasked officials to draft solutions prior

to the next administrative meeting to increase use of the Afghani.

Finally, the group voted on government contracts. Panton said, Officials

were particularly cautious about being good stewards of their limited

budget, outright denying one of the five contracts discussed for being

too costly and necessitating lower prices on two contracts before

approving them.

While many aspects of the government in Nangarhar still need work, the

administrative meeting is an area that has seen encouraging strides

toward proficiency, Panton said.

"There has been significant improvement over the years, and I can see

improvements continuing to take place," said Panton.

The newly-appointed deputy governor of Nangarhar, Mohammad Gardewal, addresses his line directors during his first administrative meeting at the governor's house March 31. The administrative meeting gives government representatives an opportunity to discuss the issues they face and vote on pending government contracts.

Nangarhar province's line directors and deputy governor met at the governor's house March 31 for their weekly administrative meeting.