STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP: PROACTIVE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 002554 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG NSC FOR AHARRIMAN OSD FOR SHIVERS CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT RELEASABLE TO NATO/ISAF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID KDEM PGOV AF SUBJECT: STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP: PROACTIVE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT HOSTS QUARTERLY UPDATE ON GOVERNANCE AND PROSPERITY REF: KABUL 1017 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Afghan Government held a Strategic Partnership Quarterly Update meeting on Prosperity and Governance with Embassy counterparts on July 21. Organized by the Ministry of Finance and co-Chaired by Deputy Minister Shahrani, Afghan representatives reported progress on most Prosperity and Governance commitments made during the bilateral Strategic Partnership meetings held in Kabul in March (ref). The Governance session also highlighted continuing challenges on anti-corruption, Ministry of Interior reform, and the Senior Appointments Board. The Prosperity session revealed the Afghan Government's concern about electricity generation, road maintenance, and obstacles to privatization. DM Shahrani committed to organizing additional Quarterly Updates in advance of Bilateral meetings due in Washington early next year. Participants expressed satisfaction at the utility of the quarterly update process as a tool for advancing the Strategic Partnership. END SUMMARY. PROACTIVE, PROFESSIONAL MOF CONVENES REVIEW SESSION -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Afghan Government was keen to hold the Strategic Partnership Quarterly Update meeting before President Karzai's trip to Camp David, and actively encouraged the event. Deputy Finance Minister Wahidullah Shahrani co-chaired and organized the Governance and Prosperity sessions on behalf of the Afghan Government, which showed an increased capacity for collaboration across ministries. The MFA, which has nominal responsibility as the Afghan "secretariat" for the Strategic Partnership, was not involved in the event. GOVERNANCE: CORRUPTION, MOI REFORM, SR APPOINTMENTS BOARD -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Governance Working Group was co-chaired by the Embassy Political Counselor and Deputy Finance Minister Shahrani with representation from the Ministries of Justice and Finance, Civil Service Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, Human Rights Commission, and Senior Appointments Board. The session showed progress on most issues. In a candid aside, Ministry of Justice Advisor Kawun Kakar told Pol Counselor that while he sees genuine effort to advance the Strategic Partnership in most areas, he hoped the U.S. would pay particular attention to three issues: corruption, MOI reform, and the Senior Appointments Board. ¶4. (SBU) The Afghan Government has made progress on commitments toward transparency and accountability, standards for use of donor funds, and provincial and programmatic budgeting. The Ministry of Finance described plans to increase the accountability of provincial governors by implementing the $6 million Governors' Outreach Fund for communication, travel, and hospitality in lieu of the operational funds some governors previously received for security-related expenses. (NOTE: The U.S. has pledged $500,000 through the ARTF for this purpose. END NOTE.) Shahrani noted the high fiduciary ratings the MOF has received from the IMF and asked that donors consider direct budget support, with the ARTF as a second-best option. The Afghan Government continues to expand programmatic and provincial budgeting, covering seven ministries and 10 provinces in FY 1387, and estimating coverage of all ministries and provinces in three to five years. ¶5. (SBU) Shahrani, a member of Supreme Court Chief Justice Azimi's anti-corruption commission, said that the commission plans to complete its report and submit it to President Karzai "within two weeks," or by the first week in August. President Karzai will decide how to implement the recommendations. Ministry of Justice advisor Kawun Kakar said that the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) has KABUL 00002554 002 OF 002 been translated and submitted to the Assembly for the third time, and is near the top of the agenda for the Assembly's current session. The Human Rights Commission representative Farid Hamidi, one of the five members of the Senior Appointments Board, said the Board had considered only five candidates since it began meeting ten months ago. He said President Karzai has not yet signed the Terms of Reference for the Board. They text submitted to the President eight months ago were recently reviewed by the Cabinet and returned to the and the MOJ for further consideration and likely revision. ¶6. (SBU) The group discussed a variety of other issues. Shahrani expressed the hope that there would be expanded opportunities for high level bureaucrats to participate in exchange and training programs. He said the Afghan Government was prepared to establish criteria for the selection of nominees. A representative of the Independent Election Commission was not present, so Shahrani promised an elections update at the next Quarterly Update. Pol Counselor emphasized our interest supporting a feasible, affordable, sustainable electoral system. The Ministry of Interior has established a liaison department with PRTs, and the Tashkil at the MOI includes 34 liaison officers -- one for each province, and four at the ministry itself. PROSPERITY: CONCERNS WITH ENERGY, ROADS, PRIVATIZATION -------------- -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The Prosperity Working Group was co-chaired by the in-coming USAID Mission Director and Deputy Finance Minister Shahrani, with representatives from the Ministries of Finance, Commerce and Industry, and Public Works and the Central Bank. The participants reviewed progress on eight action items from the March Plenary, and focused on the Kabul Generator Sets, the development of a master plan for road maintenance, and impediments to privatization. ¶8. (SBU) The discussion revealed the need for a policy and institutional approach for budgeting and mobilizing funds for the fuel, operations, and maintenance costs associated with the planned Kabul Generator Sets. The Afghan Government is working with donors to develop a consensus on energy sector funding gaps that will be presented at the Inter-Ministerial Commission on Energy (ICE) in August. The Afghan representatives also acknowledged the magnitude of the road maintenance challenge and inadequacy of the funds budgeted for this purpose. Embassy complimented the Afghans on their proposal to outsource road maintenance and expressed interest in continuing to work with them on these challenges. ¶9. (SBU) The group discussed the need for a long-term customs strategy and a tax regime that meets the Afghanistan Compact benchmarks. USG participants expressed concern that commissions are not being established to review proposals for privatization of state-owned enterprises, stifling the privatization process at a critical stage. DM Shahrani candidly explained the chilling effect of investigations by the Attorney General, suggesting that any procedural misstep might lead to prosecution. However, he described IRoA interest in finding ways to mitigate this risk, perhaps by expanding the number of participants appointed to the commissions, and thereby get the privatization process back on track. DELL