Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Enhanced Integrated Framework ...

• Urban Development: By the end of 2010;Municipal Governments will havestrengthened capacity to manage urbandevelopment and to ensure that municipalservices are delivered effectively, efficientlyand transparently; in line with MDG investmentsin water supply and sanitationwill have ensured that 50 percent of householdsin Kabul and 30 percent of householdsin other major urban areas will haveaccess to piped water.• Energy: By end-2010: electricity will reachat least 65 percent of households and 90percent of non-residential establishmentsin major urban areas, at least 75 percent ofthe costs will be recovered from users connectedto the national power grid.The Millennium Development Goals most relevantto the urban sector development include:• Goal 7: By 2020 halve the proportion withoutaccess to safe drinking water and sanitation.Significantly improve the lives of allslum-dwellers by 2020. Sustainable developmentto reverse the loss of environmentalresourcesCurrent situation in the sectorAchievements: While investments in the urbansector continue to lag far behind actual needsacross the country, there have been someachievements. The most important are as follows:• Water supply and sanitation: 2 million urbanresidents (31 percent of the total urbanpopulation) have benefited from investmentsin water supply and 12 percent frominvestment in sanitation in major cities between2002 and 2007.• Up to 1.4 million people (20 percent of urbanpopulation) have benefited from rehabilitationof public works, with 250,000 (4percent) benefiting from upgrading programs• In addition to legislative reforms, a pilotland tenure security project is underway inKabul• The Dehsabz City Development Authorityhas been established to facilitate the developmentof new city housing for up to 3 millionpeople north of Kabul. Additionally,new small settlements (satellite townships)have been planned for 1 million people.• Regional and city planning: strategic developmentplans are being prepared for 7regional cities, while a city developmentplan for three major cities (Mazar, Jalalalabad,Kabul) and existing-Kabul plan isdue for completion by mid 2008.• Urban policy: initiatives include a comprehensiveNational Urban Program (NUP), adraft National Land Policy was submittedin 2007 for approval to the Ministry of Justice.And a draft of national building codesfor construction has been developed.• Institutional reforms within MoUD, KM &IDLG (established in 2007) continue, alongwith investments in strengthening institutionalcapacity.• Almost 5 percent of vulnerable families hasbeen provided improved shelter in majorcities. Private sector so far has made littlecontribution to the development of housingsector.• Three conservation initiatives are underway in historic quarters of Kabul, Heratand Tashqurghan.• The Afghan Urban Water Supply and SanitationCorporation has been established asa quasi independent public entity.As of 2005 nearly a quarter of Afghanistan’spopulation lived in urban areas. By 2015 it isestimated that almost a third of Afghans will beliving in urban areas. Current needs include:• Urban Poverty: In 2002, one fifth of the urbanpopulation was living below the povertyline. The NRVA (2005) study foundthat 28 percent of urban households perceivethemselves to be food insecure, 31percent fall below the minimum level ofdietary energy consumption, 45 percentborrow money to purchase food, and 48percent sometimes have problems satisfyingtheir food needs. It is estimated that4.95 million people inhabited informal settlementsin 2006, suggesting that 68.5 percentof the urban population is living withoutsecurity of tenure.• Water and Sanitary Conditions: In 2005,about 20-22 percent of urban householdshad access to safe drinking water, althoughEconomical and Social Development 101