Announcement

Local Stability Initiatives Build Trust and Improve Governance

Civilian-military cooperation develops rural infrastructure.

Qalat, Afghanistan  | Thursday, April 30, 2009

In southern and eastern Afghanistan, an innovative approach to civilian-military cooperation is strengthening citizens’ trust in their government and local military forces while improving rural infrastructure.  Local Stability Initiatives (LSI) are community-oriented development projects that build peace and security in remote villages.  Afghan community leaders identify the needs of their own villages – such as the construction of a new well or footbridge – and work with USAID and the military to design, fund, and implement the projects.

In Zabul Province, where recent protests led to the appointment of a new Governor, these development projects have already started to build a cooperative relationship among local councils, the Afghan National Army, Coalition Forces, and USAID.  In one village, community elders and military representatives toured a series of irrigation wells, known as karezes, to build local support for a karez-cleaning LSI project.  Although villagers initially reacted with skepticism, they realized that a community-led karez cleaning would improve irrigation and farming – and that their government, Coalition Forces, and USAID were eager to support their development project.

Building trust between Afghan communities, the government, USAID, and the military is essential in regions where insurgents are also trying to win local support.  One U.S Army Police Mentor stated, "I think most of the people are riding the fence between [supporting] the insurgents or the Government of Afghanistan.  With strong Afghan involvement, this USAID program has the potential to be a real game changer in legitimizing the Government of Afghanistan.”  When the Afghan government provides needed services for its citizens and works with civilian and military representatives to create a secure and prosperous country, it earns the support of its citizens and is one step closer to defeating the insurgency.