Afghanistan - Interim strategy note for the period FY2012-2014 (Vol. 2) : Executive summary (Dari)

Afghanistan is a country in conflict with improving, but still extremely fragile, state and civil society institutions. Despite the ongoing conflict and insecurity, there have been significant political achievements including two rounds of presidential...  See More + Afghanistan is a country in conflict with improving, but still extremely fragile, state and civil society institutions. Despite the ongoing conflict and insecurity, there have been significant political achievements including two rounds of presidential and legislative elections (albeit with concerns about legitimacy) and the creation of an emerging media and Non-Government Organization (NGO) community. In terms of the economy and creation of institutions, there are visible gains including the development and roll-out of basic national programs in health, education and village level governance and service delivery, a functioning and credible public financial management system that has increased revenues from some $130 million in 2002 to $1.5 billion currently, a doubling of per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and significant improvements in human development indicators. These achievements, coming from an extraordinarily low base, are often overlooked in the face of more negative aspects insurgency and conflict, a constant opium trade, economic and political corruption, and inequity. The Bank's program in Afghanistan builds on the lessons from the World Development Report (WDR) taking into full account the period of uncertainty that we are entering. This ISN sets out the areas where the Bank has been and will remain engaged in helping the Government implement national priorities, but in full knowledge that in a fragile and highly politicized arena, the Bank will need to stay flexible in its engagements and realistic in terms of outcomes. This ISN covers the period during which Afghanistan will 'transition' and will be shaped by a significantly different reality. This includes both a security environment that shifts responsibility from the international military community (ISAF) to one that is Afghan-led, as well as an economic future that will have to depend much more heavily on domestic sources of revenue and growth and priorities set by the Government of Afghanistan rather than donors. While 2014 is meant to mark the end of the security transition, in reality it will not be a fixed moment in time. Rather, the remainder of this 3 year period should be seen as a critical time for Afghanistan which aims, with the support of the international community, to position itself to handle the future beyond 2014. It can be expected that the next 3 years will be particularly uncertain as the political economy changes radically: foreign troops leave, the amount of donor aid comes down, negotiations potentially begin to end the insurgency and Presidential elections are held. Because of this, the Bank's strategy is set out as an ISN with a shorter term outlook rather than a Country Partnership Strategy (CPS). The Bank's strategy and expectations of results will need to adjust to a very fluid situation.  See Less -

Document also available in : Pashto, English