Announcement

United States Partners with Afghan Government to Improve Local Public Administration

Over the next 18 months, more than 15,000 civil servants across all 34 provinces will improve their skills.

Kabul, Afghanistan  | Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Photo: Dan Wilkinson

Ambassador Wayne speaks with IARCSC students.

On August 31, 2009, Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne launched a $21.5 million program that works in partnership with the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) to train Afghanistan’s civil servants.  Over the next 18 months, more than 15,000 civil servants across all 34 provinces will improve their skills in human resource management, financial management, project management, strategic planning, and procurement.  Programs such as this, based on the “Afghan First” principle, deepen the Afghan-U.S. development partnership.  Together, the U.S. Government and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan are promoting Afghan-led development, which supports sustainable Afghan leadership at all levels.

The IARCSC equips provincial civil servants with the right skills and tools so that ministries can move decision making and resources closer to the Afghan people, enabling sub-national governments to be more efficient and responsive.  IARCSC Chairman Dr. Ahmad Mushahed thanked the U.S. government and the international community for meeting a vital need in Afghanistan. “Lack of [civil servants’] capacity has been one of the main challenges for the government and we hope, with the help of the international community, that we can build the level of capacity that is needed to meet the demands of the nation,” he said.