Strength in numbers: Afghans assemble to fortify future

QALAT, AFGHANISTAN

08.31.2007

Courtesy Story

Provincial Reconstruction Team Khost

By Air Force Capt. Bob Everdeen
Provincial Reconstruction Team Qalat

QALAT, Afghanistan – More than 200 people attended the Sub-National Consultation for Zabul province Aug. 15-25. The SNC, which is intended to amplify the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, aims to identify provincial needs and priorities.

The consultations were held at Zabul province Governor Delbar Jan Arman's auxiliary conference center. In addition to the governor, scores of provincial department directors, elders, leaders, kuchi (nomad) tribal leaders and citizen representatives participated from each of the province's 11 districts. During two days of the event, nearly half of the participants were women, which proved that some progress in this southern province has already been achieved.

"There is a spirit of working together here," Governor Arman said. "This is an example of government by the people, not just the rich but for the working class, too."

During the 11 days of the consultation period, seven were used for actual meetings between the participants. Normal Friday holidays were observed, as well as Afghanistan's Independence Day on Aug. 19. At the meetings, consultation representatives discussed and completed the tedious process of consolidating and prioritizing both district and provincial plan projects. Ten projects from each sector were selected for a combined total of 80 projects to be forwarded to Kabul for review and approval.

"The process of prioritizing and consolidating the district development plans with the provincial development plans went well," said Mohammad Akram, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan field assistant. "There was good participation from all stakeholders."

The SNC process ended with a closing ceremony, which was attended by many Afghan and U.S. representatives including Governor Arman, the ministry delegation to the SNC, and U.S. State Department and Provincial Reconstruction Team Qalat representatives. The United States Agency for International Development/Development Alternatives, Inc. (provincial-based facilitators) provided ongoing support throughout the SNC process.

"There was very good coordination between UNAMA and the Afghanistan Stabilization Program, with active support of the USAID/DAI facilitators to the ANDS process," said Habib Rohmal, Army Strategic Plan advisor. "Positive outcomes were achieved in that provincial government representatives felt the government was supporting them, and, for the first time, representatives were able to put forth their priorities to the leadership."

A famous Canadian politician once said that "the past is to be respected and acknowledged, but not to be worshiped; it is our future in which we will find our greatness." The more than 200 Afghans who attended the SNC in Qalat embody those words and have taken an active role in guiding the future of their country...a future that holds a great deal of promise and hope.

• Date Taken: 08.31.2007
• Date Posted: 08.31.2007 13:39
• Story ID: 12092
• Location: QALAT, AF