Thematic Area: Democratic Governance
Project Document
Substantive Revision Number 1, March 2009
Annual Work Plan
Progress Report Quarter 2 2009
Progress Report Quarter 1 2009
Annual Report 2008
Progress Report Quarter 1 2008
Progress Report Quarter 2 2008
Progress Report Quarter 2 2008 Annex 1 AWP
Progress Report Quarter 3 2008
Progress Report Quarter 3 2008 Annex 1 AWP
Progress Report Quarter 1 & 2 2007
Progress Report Quarter 3 2007
[Last Updated June 2009]
Project Start Date: 1 January 2007
Project End Date: 31 March 2012
Project Location: Kabul
Status of the Project: Ongoing
Implementing Partners: High Office of Oversight, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice,Ministry of Education, other relevant Government Institutions, Civil Society.
Background
UNDP’s ACT project, designed to support the development of the critical areas in fight against corruption, was finalized and signed in January 2007. During the design phase of the project there were extensive consultations with government counterparts, the international community and other relevant stakeholders. In particular the project was developed in close consultation with the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank in order to ensure close coordination and synergies, and to avoid overlap in support to the Government.
The objective of the ACT project is to support the Government, in view of achieving the Compact Benchmarks and developing a broader anti-corruption strategy within the ANDS.
The ACT first phase of project consisted of three components:
- Improved institutional, legal and policy environment to support the implementation of anticorruption policies and programs in line with the Afghanistan Compact and the ANDS;
- Enhanced integrity and accountability in pilot ministries and aid management; and
- Increased awareness and understanding of corruption in Afghanistan – including the establishment of a grants facility for civil society organizations active in the field of anticorruption.
The Accountability and Transparency (ACT) project was initiated in January 2007 and it was designed at a time when there was no clear government counterpart in the area of anti-corruption and few concrete steps had been taken in the fight against corruption. With the political commitment made to the fight against corruption during the Paris Conference, the finalization of the national anti-corruption strategy and the establishment of the High Office of Oversight it is essential that the international community quickly increases its support in the area of anti-corruption. The project is extended in April 2009 for three years until March 2012. The reformulated ACT project serves as a continuation of the support provided to date. The ACT project has been working in close collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Department for International Development (DFID), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Bank in supporting the Government of Afghanistan in the prevention of and awareness-raising on corruption. On the enforcement side the United Kingdom and United States Governments, together with UNODC, have been providing support to the Attorney General Office (AGO) in the establishment of the ACU and the international community is working to support anti-corruption efforts in the MOI.
The extension to Accountability and Transparency (ACT) project has been designed to support GIRoA in developing the necessary capacities to fight corruption. The ACT project takes the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS), the NACS and the UNCAC as its starting point. The project components have been developed in order to support the government in meeting the priorities and requirements set out in these key strategies and conventions.
The ACT project consists of four main components: - Component 1: Improved institutional and policy environment created to support the implementation of the national anti-corruption strategy.
- Component 2: Enhanced accountability, transparency and integrity in key government institutions.
- Component 3: Enhanced capacity of civil society and media to effectively contribute to the fight against corruption.
- Component 4: Increased awareness and understanding amongst civil servants and the public in Afghanistan of their role in the fight against corruption.
The ACT project will focus on prevention of and awareness-raising on anti-corruption, complementing on-going efforts on enforcement. The overall goal of the ACT project is to support the development of sustainable capacity within GIRoA as well as Afghan civil society to effectively fight corruption. Hence there is a strong emphasis placed on capacity development and the transfer of skills. The project aims to support capacity development at the central and sub-national level through a sectoral approach.
The main government counterpart of the ACT project will be the High Office of Oversight. The project will also develop partnerships with the Control and Audit Office, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Interior as well as civil society. Implementation of project activities will be closely coordinated with all relevant national and international actors. The project will be implemented through Direct Implementation.
This extension allow for building on already existing capacities within the project, established and on-going partnerships, and lessons learned from completed and on-going activities. As such the project is also well placed to serve as a platform for support to the newly established High Office of Oversight.
Lessons Learned:
The design of the expanded and extended project, taking into account lessons learned from completed activities, is influenced by below specific considerations:
- The importance of engaging international experts/advisors on a long-term basis rather than relying on consultants to ensure capacity development, skills transfer, follow-up and sustainability.
- The need to focus on a more narrow set of outputs to allow for developing the necessary partnerships and to achieve results.
- The need to also implement activities at the sub-national level.
- The importance of having sufficient human resources in the project to ensure timely implementation of and follow-up on project activities.
The ACT project is currently housed in the Ministry of Finance and plans to expand to other partner’s premises in order to benefit from the political leadership, strong relationship with other public entities and interest in promoting a broad-based approach to the development of anti-corruption policies and programmes.
Key partners include the High Office of Oversight, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice as well as other government institutions, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and Afghan civil society organizations.
Partnerships and Resources:
Target Budget: USD 22,310,625,
Duration (January 2007 – March 2012)
Italy, USD 374,531, Norway USD 1,329,480, DFID USD 8,663,793, UNDP USD 1,066,500,Others USD 10,367,804
Contacts:
Nils Taxell , Chief Technical Advisor/Project Manager (nils.taxell@undp.org)
Muhammad Khabir, Programme Associate (muhammad.khabir@undp.org )
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