Thematic Area: Democratic Governance

Project Document

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 2007
Progress Report Quarter 2 2007
Progress Report Quarter 3 2007
Annual Report 2006

[Last Updated April 2009]

Project Start Date: April 2004
Project End Date: December 2008
Project Location: AIMS Office, Kabul, Afghanistan
Status of the Project: Active
Responsible partner: Ministry of Cummunication and IT
Implementation Modality: Direct Implementation (DIM)

http://www.aims.org.af

To achieve the goals of effective public administration, transparency and accountability, the Government of Afghanistan (GoA) requires and depends heavily upon appropriate information management processes and tools, and a skilled national information management workforce.

Within the context of GoA’s growth and Afghanistan's national development, AIMS is seen as a reputable and reliable strategic partner with the core capabilities to deliver human capacity building and critical information management services to the Afghanistan government and the broader development community. Through its central Kabul office and five regional offices, AIMS has played a critical role in providing information management products and customized services, which were previously unavailable. AIMS has also laid the foundation for effective data management in key line ministries and foresees expanding this foundation for planning, managing and monitoring reconstruction activities within Afghanistan.

The stakeholders agree that AIMS will continue to play an instrumental role and have recognized the value of transitioning AIMS to an independent legal entity in order to ensure its long-term sustainability and to serve as a model for successfully creating national capacity. The Project Steering Committee agreed in early 2007 that the project would transition to a separate legal entity by the end of 2007 and be fully functional by the end of 2008.

Following the review of the various legal modalities available in Afghanistan, which included -Governmental Organization (NGO), Private Company and Government-Owned Company, the option of transferring AIMS into an NGO surfaced as the best option. Accordingly, the AIMS project document was amended in December 2007 to include a new objective of transitioning the project into a national NGO as output 4 of the project document.

Achievements:

Transition process
AIMS registered as a national NGO in June 2008 and now has a Board of Directors, as well as an international Executive Director. All UNDP project staff wishing to continue working for the AIMS NGO has been transferred to NGO contracts. A five years strategic plan was developed for the NGO to ensure proper capacity development and resource mobilization and HR and Finance policies for the new NGO have been approved by the board. MoUs and contracts with various stakeholders have been transferred to the NGO and all project assets have transferred to the NGO. The AIMS NGO has opened a bank account and various resource mobilization initiatives have been carried out to ensure short and long term funds. A Project Cooperation Agreement has been made between UNDP and AIMS to continue supporting the NGO under the AIMS project within available funding. These achievements have all contributed to ensure that AIMS transitions into a sustainable NGO able to continue its quality services.

AIMS’ continued services
• AIMS internal staff capacity has been built through online training and PRINCE2 foundation certification, strengthening customer relations, knowledge and skill building of key staff increasing the quality and range of services, which AIMS is now able to provide.
• AIMS has substantially increased the information management capacity of the Government and humanitarian community through the provision of maps and mapping software, information management training and capacity assessments, as well as the provision of capacity development on information management and advisory services.
• AIMS has conducted several Technology Awareness Workshops for ministries and university professors/students. 28 staff members from the Ministry of Communication was trained in Geographical Information System (GIS) and database, greatly improving the work of the ministry. The AIMS GIS Department has provided technical support to 11 GIS Labs in various ministries and departments as part of its advisory services to the Government.
• AIMS’ regional offices in Kunduz, Hirat, Jalalabad and Kandahar has trained 257 people English Language and Computer Literacy Programmes. 378 staff members from Government agencies were trained in English language and 342 in computer programmes.
• The Asia Foundation funded capacity building programme at the Office of the President and Office of Administrative Affairs was successfully completed.
• A proposal was developed and submitted to the American PRT to establish a GIS lab in Afghan National Army (ANA) Kunduz. Upon request of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) Kunduz, the concept paper for establishing a training center was developed and submitted to the Provincial Development Fund (PDF) Committee in Kunduz.
• AIMS assisted UN in mapping its project acitivities to increase coordination and planning by tracking and mapping all UN project activites in the regions through the Provincial Mapping of UN Activities (PMUNA) project and training of UN staff in its use. Similar mapping has been carried out for other donors or is being planned.

Future priorities:

• Continue to build internal capacity of the NGO and support its resource moblication efforts.
• AIMS could be the lead in developing systems to monitor the ANDS implementation
• Continue using the capacity of AIMS in the implementation of other UNDP projects.

Challenges and Risks:

• The main challenge confronting the project remains building AIMS internal capacity needed for it to sustain its activities as an independent NGO
• One of the main risks is that AIMS will be unable to ensure a sustainable resource flow.

Partnerships and Resources:

Target Budget: USD 10,811,874
Received Budget: USD 10,811,874
Commitment: USD 10,811,874
Shortfall: 0
Donors: UNDP, USAID, EC

Contacts:

Walid Rahimi, Deputy Project Manager (walid.rahimi@undp.org)
Dilawar Khan, Programme Officer (dilawar.khan@undp.org)
Maya Lindberg Brink, Programme Officer (maya.lindberg.brink@undp.org)

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