A new agreement signed today between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United States will train Afghan civil servants to improve the delivery of government services on a national and sub-national level.

Dr. Ahmad Mushahad, Chairman of the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC), U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry and USAID Mission Director Bill Frej signed a memorandum of understanding to recognize the start of the Afghan Civil Service Support program.  The one-year, $84 million program will train 4,000 civil servants in Kabul and 12,000 more over the next two years in all 34 provinces in five core public administration functions on a sub-national level.

The five common administrative functions specified in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy are financial management, project management, procurement, human resources, and strategic planning.

IARCSC will prioritize the training of personnel in a number of districts and provinces. The program will also assist ministries with advancing the Public Administration Reform process so that civil servants are properly paid and categorized.

“This event is a clear indicator that the Afghanistan Civil Service Institute is the key component to building capacity for the Afghanistan government on a local, provincial and national level,” said Farhad Osmani, Director of the IARCSC.

“This program brings new energy and ideas to the civil service reform process in Afghanistan,” said Ambassador Eikenberry.  “This is a process that will no doubt take time, but one that is necessary for both the advancement of the Afghan Government and the progress of the Afghan people.”

“The signing of this agreement today marks an important step for the Government of Afghanistan,” said USAID Mission Director Bill Frej.  “This training of the Afghan civil servants will build the capacity of the government on a national and sub-national level that will benefit the entire country.”