Cablegate: Prt/Qalat: Reconstruction and Development

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OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK
DE RUEHBUL #5195/01 2980937
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 250937Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3717
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3166
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3296
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 6617
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1961

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 005195

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO (DAS GASTRIGHT), SCA/A, S/CRS, SCA/PB,
S/CT, EUR/RPM, PRM/ANE, INL
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/A-AA/ANE MWARD, AID/CDHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN
OSD FOR BREZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD
RELEASABLE TO NATO/AUST/NZ/ISAF

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PREL SNAR PGOV PTER AF
SUBJECT: PRT/QALAT: RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

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1. (U) Summary: In the challenging operating environment
of southern Afghanistan, Qalat is an example of a city that
has been able to make progress on the long road to
reconstruction. This progress is a function primarily of
the relatively stable security environment and a
collaborative working relationship between the provincial
government, the U.S.-led PRT, and local community. A
number of high-profile projects have recently been
completed or will soon begin, thus helping to maintain the
positive momentum of reconstruction. The addition of the
UNAMA office will hopefully lead to more UN Agencies and
international organizations in Qalat. End Summary.

Qalat - A Provincial Capital on the Rise and the Challenges
to Long-term Success
--------------------------------------------- ----------

2. (U) Qalat is the provincial capital of Zabul, an
exceptionally poor and rural province in southern
Afghanistan. Overall, there has been limited donor
investment in Zabul. The province?s population is 250,000;
the capital?s is 29,000. The largest and most significant
project to date was the building of the national ring road,
which bisects the province and serves as a transit point
between Kandahar and Kabul. The ring road is the only
paved road in the province. Donor funding has increased in
the last year, with a significant amount of the effort
being concentrated in Qalat.

3. (SBU) Zabul serves as a conduit for anti-government
elements between the southern provinces of Kandahar and
Uruzgan and the volatile eastern part of the country.
Stability in Zabul is an essential element to maintain
overall security for this region. Qalat?s development will
spur reconstruction in the rest of the province?s
districts, which are isolated and receive limited services.

4. (U) Reconstruction and development efforts are being
funded by multiple sources including the Government of
Afghanistan (Afghanistan Stabilization Program, National
Solidarity Program), private Afghans, CERP, USAID, UN
agencies, and third country donors (e.g. UAE). There is
currently a significant amount of construction underway in
?New Qalat City? - an area to which government offices and
merchants will soon relocate, and that will become the new
city center. New Qalat City is home to the governor?s new
offices, the provincial hospital, the Department of Women?s
Affairs, the revenue center, and new Afghan shops. Plans
are underway for further development and expansion of this
area including a conference center, fire station,
courthouse, and a branch of Da Afghanistan Bank. The first
and only airfield in Zabul, funded by USAID, opened in mid-
September.

5. (U) There are limited economic opportunities in Zabul,
and agriculture remains the centerpiece of the economy.
Support is needed to increase agriculture productivity,
expertise, and technology. A recent visit by
USAID/Afghanistan officers in September underscored the
importance of the development of agriculture to increase
incomes and reach out to the people of Zabul.

6. (U) Vocational training is a critical development focus
for Qalat. With funding from the PRT, the Qalat Trade
School began in November 2005 in partnership with the Zabul

KABUL 00005195 002.2 OF 003

provincial government. The trade school offers courses in
technical subjects such as carpentry, welding, plumbing,
auto mechanics, agriculture, nursing, EMT, computers, rug
weaving, and electronics. This trade school has been
viewed as widely successful. The U.S.-led PRT and USAID
are exploring ways to build upon the trade school?s success
and transition the program to a local entity.

7. (U) A USAID-funded electrification project will provide
high-visibility for Qalat. This project will provide
approximately 4,300 connections for Qalat city and
additional generation capacity. It will also generate
numerous jobs and new technical skills. Efforts must be
made to think beyond the infrastructure, and consider how
to best make the new system economically sustainable.

8. (U) The PRT will soon start construction of a road to
connect Qalat to the northern Mizan and Argandab districts,
thereby increasing transport, security, and communication.
In addition, USAID is set to begin construction of a road
in the southern districts of Shinkay, Shamulzai and Atghar.

9. (U) Construction of roads and key infrastructure feature
prominently in Qalat?s development. To date, however,
construction planning has been done in an ad-hoc fashion,
especially in New Qalat city, and does not systematically
address the set of interrelated issues related to new
development and construction (e.g. water supply, roads,
drainage, power etc). Immediate technical assistance is
needed to improve city planning and implementation.

10. (U) The new UNAMA office in Qalat is a welcome arrival.
UNAMA is playing an important coordination role among the
reconstruction and development actors, and is also helping
to liaise with the key UN agencies working in Zabul such as
WFP, WHO, UNDP, and UNICEF. With UNAMA?s assistance, the
hope is that more international organizations and UN
agencies will increase their programs in the province.

--------------------------------------------- ---------
Coordination and Cooperation ? An Essential Element to
Success
--------------------------------------------- ---------

11. (SBU) Much of the success in Zabul, and specifically
Qalat, can be attributed to the strong partnership that
exists between the provincial leadership, the PRT, and the
local community. The PRT Command group includes U.S.
military, State Department, USAID, and USDA
representatives. Governor Del Bar Jan Arman has
consistently presented a vision for Qalat?s reconstruction
and development. However, the weak capacity of the line
ministry directors has presented challenges to implementing
this vision.

12. (U) With the recent establishment of the Provincial
Development Council (PDC), there is hope that the capacity
of the line ministry directors will improve. In addition,
UNDP?s National Area-Based Development Program recently
completed workshops for the District Development Assemblies
(DDA) and the first phase of PDC training in Qalat; a
process that will help to strengthen development planning,
coordination, monitoring, evaluation and decision-making at
the provincial level.

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Comments
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13. (U) This cable is first in a series that will outline
reconstruction and development efforts at the provincial
level in which PRTs are playing key roles.

NEUMANN

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