SECURITY NEEDS AND GOVERNORS' DISCRETIONARY FUND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 000459 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, S/CT, EUR/RPM, INL/CIVPOL STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG, NSC FOR AHARRIMAN OSD FOR KIMMITT CENTCOM FOR CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ASEC KFIN SNAR PTER AF SUBJECT: SECURITY NEEDS AND GOVERNORS' DISCRETIONARY FUND REF: A) KABUL 359 B) KABUL 371 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Governors in a number of provinces slated to receive payments out of the Governors, Discretionary Fund have recently begun complaining that suspension of the Fund for the fourth quarter of the Afghan fiscal year has negatively impacted their ability to counter the security threat (reftels). The Fund, which was created in early 2005 in response to a perceived security threat in mostly Southern and Eastern provinces, was intended to supplement money received by governors out of their normal operating budget, development funds, and normal line ministry payments. The money was in principle earmarked for security-related expenses, but lack of accountability as well as a gradually more capable Afghan National Police have led to a GOA review of the Fund as part of the budget review process for the new fiscal year. Inquiries to the Ministries of Finance and Interior have provided some clarity as to the nature of the Discretionary Fund, its status, and the serious issues that have led to the MOF,s recommendation that the Fund be cut from next year,s GOA budget. In general, we support the move to greater transparency but we must be careful that short term security is not menaced. End summary. What Is the Fund, Who Gets It, and How Much? -------------- ¶2. (U) The Governor,s Discretionary Fund was created by Presidential Decree in Afghan fiscal year 1384 (Mar 2005-Mar 2006). For Fiscal Year 1385 (Mar 2006-Mar 2007) it was a line item in the MOI budget and as such approved by Parliament. It was intended to fund supplementary security activities in those provinces with an immediate need. The total amount of money available for FY 1385 was 800 million afghanis, approximately USD 16 million. The following provinces received monthly disbursements for the first eight months of the fiscal year approximately as follows (note: actual numbers vary, as discussed para 3): Ghazni: 5.221 million afghanis (USD 104,420) per month Paktika: 8.15M (USD 163K) Uruzgan: 13 M (USD 260K) Zabul: 12.5M (USD 250K) Helmand: 10M (USD 200K) Kandahar: 15M (USD 300K) Kunar: 4.760M (USD 95K) Nuristan: 1.71M (USD 34.2K) Khost: 3.555M (USD 71.1K) Nangarhar: 5M (USD 100K) Balkh: 3M (USD 60K) Center: 15M (USD 300K) ¶3. (U) Exceptions: Paktia received 200,000 afghanis (USD 4,000) and Badghis 1 million afghanis (USD 20,000) in the Afghan month of Qaws (Nov/Dec). Farah received a total of 4 million afghanis (USD 80,000) only in the four months from July/Aug to Oct/Nov; Herat received 1 million afghanis (USD 20,000) in Qaws (Nov/Dec) only; the center (Kabul) received varying amounts that averaged about 15 million per month; and other amounts varied with payments having been either front- or backloaded. Overall, however, almost 778 million afghanis (USD 50.56 million) had been fully expended by the beginning of the Afghan month of Qaws, which began Nov. 21, and the account was fully depleted by the end of that month (Dec. 20). Only a few provinces and the center received payment in Qaws. KABUL 00000459 002 OF 003 How is the Fund Used? -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The original purpose of the Discretionary Fund was to allow governors to pay expenses that were not easily covered in the MOI recurring operational budget, for example paying for informants or other temporary security measures. While anecdotal reporting suggests that the Fund has been used for diverse purposes, its primary purpose appears to have been to pay for governor,s militias and/or to top off salaries of Afghan National Police (ANP) patrolmen. Regarding governor,s militias: In many provinces President Karzai authorized the governors to recruit militias last summer to counter what was perceived to be a critical security threat. As money began to run low in the fall and the auxiliary police concept began to be implemented, it was thought that these militia members would be folded into the Afghan National Auxiliary Police (ANAP) and paid through that mechanism. Since the PAG only recently authorized expansion of the ANAP to the Eastern provinces, however, there are a number of individuals who now do not receive payment from either the Discretionary Fund or normal MOI police channels. As the ANAP program expands, this issue will gradually be resolved and the need for governor,s militias will be mitigated. ¶5. (SBU) On the issue of topping off salaries: At present, patrolmen who have not gone through training at the Regional Training Centers receive 800 afghanis or USD 16/month. In high threat areas such as Kandahar, the governors have argued that even post- reform salaries of 3,500 afghanis or USD 70/mo are not enough to retain ANP personnel. However, if the GOA and international community agree to a raise in the base pay of all GOA patrolmen to USD 100/mo (whether RTC-trained or not) - a proposal that will be considered by a JCMB Working Group this spring - that should make less compelling the governors, arguments that they need to top off salaries. No Accountability -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Since the government did not establish a reporting requirement for the use of money disbursed through this fund, opportunities for the misuse (and appearance of misuse) of the Fund abound. According to Deputy Finance Minister Shahrani, NDS Director Saleh has told the GOA leadership that most or all governors have pocketed at least half of the their payments. Stories circulate about the former Kabul Police Chief - who, for reasons not entirely clear, had access to the Discretionary Fund disbursements for the Central region - handing out sheaves of hundred dollar bills to his officers to assure their personal loyalty. Some governors are alleged to have put family members on Discretionary Fund payrolls, to keep the money "in house." Others have allegedly used their militias to extort illegal "taxes" to increase their private incomes. One governor was alleged to have financed his children,s education in Australia through money from the Discretionary Fund. Due to the regularization of funding for and improvement of the ANP, to include an MOI Criminal Investigation Division and other specialized forces, as well as the tremendous potential for misuse of this Fund, the Ministry of Finance has recommended that the line item be cut from the 1386 budget that is now being negotiated. The Minister of Interior reportedly supports the MOF proposal. KABUL 00000459 003 OF 003 Comment -------------- ¶7. (SBU) No final decisions have been made, and governors in the dozen or so affected provinces do not yet seem to realize that their Discretionary Fund payments are about to be permanently zeroed out. (Note: This will not affect the governors, operating budget, which is the normal source of funding for all provincial governors, or other programmatic funds available to them. End note.) According to NSA Rassoul in the February 7 PAG, President Karzai and his ministers are debating the issue as part of the budget review process. The MoF is proposing in place of the Fund a monthly allocation of USD 3,000-5000 to each of the 34 provincial governors to cover costs of small governor-hosted events. Given the number of complaints raised by governors since December about the difficulty of tiding over their operations until the new fiscal year, their response to a proposed permanent elimination of the Fund would likely be sharp, swift, and directed to the top. Indeed, according to Rassoul they are already raising vociferous complaints about the temporary depletion of the Fund for FY 1385. ¶7. (SBU) Whether President Karzai supports the prudent fiscal position of his line ministers or bends to the demands of his governors - who are certain to argue that eliminating the fund will jeopardize the security situation in their provinces - will become clearer over the next month. In general, the Embassy will press the government to follow the MOF,s recommendation to regularize funding to the governors by phasing out the Discretionary Fund. This is consistent with our overall objective of moving toward normal, transparent, and sustainable funding for all key government functions. We will also encourage other donors to support the MOF position while recognizing that there needs to be enough flexibility in the budget for the governors to respond to pressing needs. However, we are receiving reports of local police walking off the job and leaving checkpoints unmanned, for example in Konar Province. We will have to assess if there are short term, critical security gaps that need some attention more immediate than the long term transition plan provides. NEUMANN