NURISTAN: SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000622 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM STATE PASS USAID FOR ASIA/SCAA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID AF SUBJECT: NURISTAN: SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT REF: KABUL 609 Classified By: PRT and Sub-National Governance Director Valerie C. Fowl er for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Though development in Nuristan remains predominantly limited to those areas most accessible by the rudimentary road system, access to basic health care and education continued to slowly improve throughout the province. Afghan government and Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) development projects in various sectors are active in most districts but their impact and progress are often hampered by poor security and little or no Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) or Coalition presence. Nurgram district, home to the PRT and a U.S. maneuver unit, is the exception. ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION IMPROVES -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Development in Nuristan continues to be limited to those areas most accessible by Nuristan,s rudimentary road system. The province remains extremely isolated from the rest of Afghanistan. Nuristan,s singular and eponymous ethnic make-up (and prejudice against the Pashtuns), mountainous terrain, and its undeveloped road system all contribute to the population,s sense of isolation. Livelihoods in the province are still made chiefly from traditional subsistence activities including seasonal movement of people and small livestock and intensive cereal cultivation. Economic growth in areas adjacent to the PRT is obvious but not yet sustainable. The influx of currency from wages (from PRT projects or employment) is spent primarily on goods available in neighboring provinces and is not reinvested into the local economy. ¶3. (SBU) Access to basic health care and education continued to slowly improve during the reporting period. Additional health clinics, a hospital in Doab district, and ten schools were built or approved for construction in the province. A lack of trained teachers and health care providers remains problematic, and efforts are underway by the government and PRT to address these deficiencies. GIRoA,S EFFORTS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Newly-appointed governor Jamaluddin is making efforts to improve the Provincial Development Council,s (PDC) effectiveness. The PDC convened four times during the previous eight months. PDC officials have not yet prioritized development projects for the province. The Provincial Development Plan (PDP) is largely ignored by government officials. District representatives from most ministries are not active. CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The PRT continues to build key infrastructure, including several buildings in the capital for government use, health facilities, schools, micro-hydropower installations, pipe schemes, and secondary or tertiary roads. Quality control and assurance remains a difficult task since regular travel to most projects is not possible. This has led to frequent delays and poor construction. Progress on projects in the eastern and central valleys of Nuristan was slow due to security issues along the principal roads. In addition to government infrastructure, the U.S. military has agreed to provide the provincial government with vehicles (armored cars for the governor),including five ambulances. USAID continues to implement two major projects (Local Governance and Community Development Project & Alternative Development Project ) East) in Nuristan and has successfully expanded their activities into most districts. UNFINISHED ROADS -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Road construction is the top priority for the PRT and the new governor. Governance, development and security will be improved by better access to and from Nuristan. The CERP-funded road network did not progress during the reporting period due to regulatory and security issues, and poor performance by Afghan contractors. (1) The Nurgram to Mandol (via Dowab) road has been re-scoped and will no longer reach Mandol due to a lack of remaining funds. The contractor (Amerifa) was fired in July 2008 and the road has not yet been re-contracted. (2) The &Wama road8 from western Kunar to Parun is also far behind schedule. Security KABUL 00000622 002 OF 002 in the Chapadara region of Kunar is causing delays. The contractor (Amerifa) has not paid its local laborers thus creating additional security problems. (3) The Titin valley road has been re-scoped and will no longer connect the western and central valleys (remaining available funds will not make this possible). The contractor (Amerifa) was fired in July 2008 and the project was re-contracted in February ¶2009. (4) The Kamdesh to Barg-e Matal road was halted due to contractor capacity issues in the eastern valley. (Comment: Excessive delays in completing critical construction projects, particularly the roads, are undermining U.S. credibility in the province.) ¶7. (U) This cable has been reviewed by the State Department Regional Advisor at Task Force Duke, the Nuristan Field Program Officer (USAID),and the Nuristan PRT Commander. WOOD