Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Enhanced Integrated Framework ...

of the country’s 34 provinces are completelyclear of land mines. A long standing presenceof illegal armed groups in different parts of thecountry is hindering the process of empowermentof local democratic institutions. Some ofthese groups have close links with police oreven belong to local governments. This situationenhances corruption and is considered akey obstacle in cracking down the narcoticsindustry.The Government is fully committed to, and isgiving the highest priority, to successfully: (i)implementing an integrated and comprehensivenational security policy and strategy; (ii)building a robust security sector reform program;(iii) strengthening civil and military operationsand coordination; (iv) increasing therole of security forces in counter-narcotics activities;and (v) strengthening the civilian componentsof security entities. Detailed Compactbenchmarks have been established to measureprogress in improving capacity within the securityorganizations and improving security.Significant progress has been made since 2001in strengthening the ANA and ANP. For example,militias have been integrated into theMinistry of Defense (MoD), with the majoritydemobilized. A multi-sector donor supportscheme has been established where individualdonors are allocated responsibility for overseeingsupport for each of the key elements of thereform, including: disarmament, demobilization,and reintegration of ex-combatants; militaryreform; police reform; judicial reform; andcounter-narcotics. The ANP has been receivingextensive training and equipment from the internationalcommunity.GOVERNANCE, RULE OFLAW, JUSTICE AND HUMANRIGHTSIn 2000 the World Bank assessed the ‘quality’ ofAfghanistan’s governance institutions as fallingin the bottom one percent of all countries. Progresssince 2001 includes the adoption of theconstitution; successful parliamentary andpresidential elections, and progress in improvingthe livelihood and welfare of women andother disenfranchised groups. Despite someprogress, a number of significant issues mustbe addressed, including: (i) the existence ofmultiple and often parallel structures of stateand non-state governance entities; (ii) the confusionover core centre-periphery administrationand fiscal relations; (iii) weak public sectorinstitutions and underdeveloped governanceand administrative capabilities; (iv) high levelsof corruption; (v) fiscal uncertainty; (vi) weaklegislative development and enforcement; (vii)weak political and parliamentary oversightcapacities; (viii) weak community and civil societyinstitutions; (ix) limited capacity in a justicesystem; (x) gender inequality; and (xi) underdevelopedhuman rights enforcement capacities.If significantly improved governance is notrapidly achieved it will be difficult to makesubstantial progress with respect to securityand economic development. An emerging politicaland administrative vacuum will be filledby non-state structures driven by illegal andnarcotic interests, not by the Government.Religious affairsThe Government will focus on the followingpriorities: (i) to improve infrastructure for religiousaffairs, such as mosques, shrines, holyplaces, and religious schools; (ii) improve thetraining and capacity of Imams, preachers, religiousteachers and other scholars to raise publicawareness and to teach; (iii) finalize a comprehensiveculture curriculum for primary andhigher education; (iv) strengthen Hajj arrangementsystems for Afghan pilgrims; (iv) supportefforts by religious organizations to help alleviatepoverty and protect vulnerable groups; (v)support efforts of the other government agenciesto improve literacy, dispute resolution andto contribute to strengthening of the nationalsolidarity. The expected results include: (i) reformsimplemented in line with Islamic values;(b) improved infrastructure and financial sustainabilityof religious affairs, particularly ofthe religious education system; (iii) greater participationof Islamic scholars in raising awarenessabout importance of implementation ofkey reforms; (iv) a greatly strengthened role ofthe religious institutions in programs for povertyreduction.ECONOMIC AND SOCIALDEVELOPMENTThe economic and social development strategy,vision, objectives and expected outcomes have6Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS)