UNDP - Afghanistan

Thematic Area: Local Governance and Administration

[Last Updated June 2011]

Afghanistan Sub-national Governance Programme (ASGP-II)

ASGP-II is a multi-donor programme that supports the government of Afghanistan in the area of sub-national governance and state building at the national, provincial, district, and municipal levels.

Contributes to ANDS Pillar 2:
Governance, Rule of Law, and Human Rights

Proposed Budget $139.0 mil USD
Resources* $83.6 mil USD

Implementing Partners
Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG)

Donors
EC , Italy, Switzerland, and UK

Project Overview

The key objective of ASGP-II is to strengthen the democratic state and government institutions to govern and ensure quality public service delivery at the sub-national level through advocacy, policy advice and capacity development.
ASGP-II supports the Government to implement its sub-national governance reform agenda through its main government partner, IDLG, and through a network of provincial governor offices, provincial councils, district governor offices and municipalities.

ASGP-II works toward four outputs:

National systems, procedures and legal frameworks to implement, coordinate and monitor sub-national governance policy are in place;
Provincial and district governors’ offices have the capacity to manage governance, development and security strategies in accordance with ANDS;
Provincial and district councils have the improved capacity to represent citizen interests and monitor sub-national governance and development;
Municipalities have the institutional and organizational framework (under public administration reform) and capacity to collect revenue and deliver basic public services

Emphasis will be placed on building the capacity of IDLG to implement the Sub-national Governance Policy (SNGP), which provides the roadmap for strengthening and reforming sub-national governance, as well as on developing the legal and procedural frameworks required for implementing the SNGP.

ASGP-II aims to implement a sector wide, provincial approach through partnerships with each provincial governor to provide them with the resources, staff and equipment to govern, as well as working closely to develop the institutional and organizational capacities of provincial councils as the only constitutionally mandated representative bodies at the sub-national level. ASGP-II also works towards restructuring all 153 provincial and district municipalities and building their institutional capacity to increase revenue and improve service delivery.

Context

Developing sound and functional sub-national governance systems is a vital item on the Afghanistan development agenda. Strengthening institutional capacities and arrangements for sub-national governance and development were priorities approved in the London and Kabul Conferences in 2010. It is increasingly recognized that the capacity of sub-national governance and development institutions is key to peace, stability and development of the Afghan people. The challenges in developing strong sub-national level capacities are enormous.

The roles and responsibilities of civil servants, appointed officials and elected representatives are in general weak and not well-defined. Almost all services are delivered by the central ministries in Kabul through their line departments. However, clear cut earmarked lines of budget and delegation of authority (between the central ministry and its sub-national arm) are not in place.

There is an emergent need for empowerment of sub-national governance, including more locally responsive planning and budgeting, strengthened accountability mechanisms, and improved oversight by elected councils over provincial, district and municipal administrations. Only municipalities have the authority to raise and retain revenue for the delivery of public services directly to the people independent of the central government, but capacity constraints hinder effective and satisfactory service delivery at this level as well.

Key Results

The first Sub-National Governance Policy in approved and being implemented. The policy clarifies the roles and responsibilities of sub-national entities so they can provide better services at the provincial, district and municipal levels.
Enabling environment improved. Drafted laws on sub-national governance, district councils, village councils, right to information, and participation of civil society in sub-national governance that are currently under review by the Government.
Strengthened the capacity of IDLG to implement sub-national governance. IDLG became the lead agency for oversight of sub-national governance. ASGP helped to place 86 national experts in 6 key directorates, and supported IDLG to conduct trainings of provincial governor offices and provincial councils on strategic planning and the responsibilities of local authorities and municipalities.
Strengthened the capacity at provincial and district levels. ASGP provided placement and training of 200 national staff, improved communication through IT connectivity at 30 provincial offices, and set up 23 training centers that are now institutionalized in the Government. Every provincial council member was oriented on their roles and responsibilities under the Sub-national Governance Policy, together with basic training. PC members are now able to engage in participatory planning and provide a monitoring and evaluation role in local governance.

Provided strategic planning and support at the provincial and municipal levels. Provincial Strategic Plans were drafted for the first time in Herat and Balkh provinces and have been initiated in 5 other provinces. Comprehensive municipal planning was achieved in 8 provincial municipalities and this is expected to be expanded.
Municipal revenue enhancement. The project introduced Revenue Improvement Action Planning and tax mapping in 41 municipalities, leading to an increase in municipal revenues ranging between 7% and 241%.
Solid Waste Management was demonstrably improved.
Increased awareness of civic issues. 66 School Municipal Committees were piloted to inform youth about civic education and public advocacy of environmental issues.

Providing Opportunities for the Public to Hold Government Officials Accountable

In Afghanistan, every provincial governor, district governor and municipal mayor is currently appointed by and report to the President. This unique structure, which centralizes decision-making and coordination, can also lead to a lack of accountability between the public and unelected government officials.

The province of Herat has been making strides to close this gap between the public and local government. With the support of the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) and ASGP, the provincial governor’s office has organized a series of public accountability forums in partnership with the provincial council and line ministries.

The first-ever Public Accountability Conference in December 2010 attracted more than 700 people, including government officials, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and village representatives. In April 2011, a week-long forum was held with over 40 government departments and 3,000 members of the community, to share the progress and future plans of the local government with citizens, respond to public concerns, and institutionalize the relationship between government and public.

One member of the community, a truck driver, used the opportunity to ask the Director of Transportation why some trucks were given priority over others when delivering commercial goods. “Thanks for providing this opportunity so that we can raise our concerns and ask questions from the local authorities,” he said.

Due to the high interest from both the government and the community members, daily sessions ran late into the evening, concluding after 7pm every day during the week.

Both the governor’s office and civil society groups intend to use these public comments and strategies as a way to monitor government progress. IDLG and ASGP hope to expand these forums to other provinces within the country, increasing public participation in government and making local officials more accountable to Afghanistan’s citizens.

ASGP Contacts

Basil Comnas
Senior Advisor to ASGP
basil.comnas@undp.org
+93 (0) 700 333 001

Sayed Khalid Khushbin
Assistant Country Director
UNDP Afghanistan
sayed.khalid.khushbin@undp.org
+93 (0) 700 240 232

www.undp.org.af

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Afghanistan Sub-national Governance Programme II (ASGP II)

Project Overview

Context

Key Results

Providing Opportunities for the Public to Hold Government Officials Accountable

ASGP Contacts

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