VZCZCXRO2865
OO RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #0019/01 0020534
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 020534Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2172
INFO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4338
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 000019 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO DAS CAMP, SCA/A, INL/FO, INL/AP 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR JWOOD 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
CENTCOM FOR CG CSTC-A, CG CJTF-82 POLAD 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MCAP MOPS PREL PGOV PTER PHUM AF
SUBJECT: MUSA QALA RECONSTRUCTION PLANNING 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  The GIRoA, the U.S., and the UK are cooperating 
on post-operation development in the recently liberated district of 
Musa Qala.  UK Military Stabilization Team (MST) Officers in Musa 
Qala are implementing a joint UK and Afghan stabilization plan but 
need USAID support for the effort.  The city is in good condition 
and many buildings require only refurbishment and supplies to 
support medical and education projects. Musa Qala has electricity, 
supplies are reaching the city and the district center is secure. 
Reconstruction efforts are underway but additional support is needed 
to initiate the larger building programs.  USAID is prepared to 
provide some immediate support, but is more focused on sustainable 
progress in Musa Qala, by preparing to move rapidly to support 
livelihood and governance development in the district. 
 
Current Situation in Musa Qala 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) An embassy team traveled to Musa Qala on December 29.  They 
met with the MST, and with Haji Pir Mohammad, acting District 
Administrator of Musa Qala, and Haji Omar, Helmand Provincial 
Director for the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development 
(MRRD). 
 
¶3. (U) Based on the visit, we have assessed that there is no need 
for humanitarian assistance. Basic health care and medicine are 
widely accessible; food and fuel are available in the bazaar; and 
there is little damage to private homes.  They also reported that 
the commercial bazaar is open, but the adjacent (illegal) drug 
bazaar is closed. The school was found in good condition, and is 
receiving cosmetic repairs before reopening in mid-January. 
Furthermore, electricity continues to flow into the district center 
although it is subject to the same planned rolling blackouts that 
the provincial capital experiences. 
 
¶4. (U) The local population have engaged with both ISAF and the 
Government. Two shuras have been held at the ISAF-controlled 
district center. Each shura was attended by over 300 participants, 
demonstrating community willingness to engage.  Afghan National 
Security Forces, including the police, army and counter-narcotics 
police, are operating in the area and are thus far being respected 
by the community. 
 
UK-Designed Development Assistance for Musa Qala 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶5. (U) On December 17 the UK-led Helmand PRT distributed a Brief on 
the Combined Reconstruction Plan for Musa Qala. The plan is based on 
a $13.8 million joint contribution from the GIRoA, the UK, and the 
USG.  The USG contribution is pegged at $5.6 million to fund an 
electricity generation farm and a "cash-for-work" program.  The 
plan, however, was written before a proper assessment was performed. 
GIRoA and USAID have now completed several trips to Musa Qala in 
order to develop a USG assistance package that meets the needs of 
the district's population. 
 
¶7. (U) The GIRoA has subsequently asked that USAID and Task Force 
Helmand (TFH) not pursue the proposed electricity generator farm for 
Musa Qala, as the town receives a regular supply of electricity from 
nearby Kajaki Dam.  Similarly, previously proposed cash-for-work 
programs were based on a belief there would be widespread 
destruction within the city and such programs would be required to 
rebuild the district center while injecting cash into the community 
to allow individuals to rebuild homes. The fighting did not result 
in the feared level of destruction, and after consultations, USAID 
and GIRoA officials determined that large scale cash-for-work is not 
appropriate. 
 
USAID-Proposed Musa Qala Assistance Package 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) Now that military "clearing" operations have concluded the 
priority is shifting to "holding" ground and "building" GIRoA 
authority. The following is an initial, proposed USG contribution to 
establishing GIRoA authority in Musa Qala, while offering meaningful 
licit livelihood opportunities for farmers: 
 
--  The GIRoA has asked USAID for immediate support and USAID has 
 
KABUL 00000019  002 OF 003 
 
 
agreed to assist. USAID has already made charter flights available 
to move Afghan officials back and forth between Kabul and Lashkar 
Gah. Additionally, USAID will provide furnishings for government 
offices and public meeting rooms. 
 
--  Once a permanent District Administrator and District Shura are 
appointed, USAID will provide $1 million to fund their priority 
projects. Projects will be nominated and agreed by the District 
Administrator and District Shura before being confirmed by 
provincial authorities. Projects will be jointly executed by 
district officials and USAID's Local Governance and Community 
Development (LGCD) Program, with an eye to streamlining USAID's 
procedures to the extent feasible and to ensuring that the projects 
are seen as GIRoA activities, not USG activities. 
 
--  The Ministry of Energy and Water has requested that USAID make 
minor improvements to the electrical distribution system in Musa 
Qala, and USAID is reviewing this request. Additionally USAID has 
agreed to build and furnish a small office for the local Director of 
Energy and Water to facilitate revenue collection that will fund 
network maintenance. 
 
--  When security permits NGOs and USAID to move freely between the 
provincial capital of Lashkar Gah and Musa Qala, USAID is prepared 
to offer contract farming opportunities to five hundred farming 
families (one third of the Musa Qala population). Under this 
program, recipients will be provided seed and technical assistance 
and linked to buyers for the crops. USAID currently plans to provide 
$1 million for this program, which will be managed by USAID's 
Alternative Development Program/South in partnership with the 
Ministry of Agriculture, again with a focus on downplaying the USG's 
direct role. 
 
--  Additionally Combined Security Training Center-Afghanistan has 
plans to build a new police station in Musa Qala to be completed by 
the end of 2008.  USAID and CSTC-A's commitments to Musa Qala have a 
total value of approximately $3 million. 
 
UK & GIRoA Assistance Package for Musa Qala 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (U) The MRRD has agreed to contribute $3.86 million to Musa 
Qala's reconstruction, focusing on roads, water, mosques and 
compensation.  Negotiations between the UK and GIRoA are ongoing 
over specific projects.  The following outlines preliminary 
commitments, some of which already represent a change from the 17 
December plan. 
 
¶10. (U) Specific GIRoA commitments: 
 
-- 32 Community-defined Projects ($560,000) 
-- Musa Qala Central Mosque 
-- 4 small city Mosques 
-- 2 bridges 
-- 2 water towers 
-- 500 wells 
-- Musa Qala to Sangin asphalt Road - 17 Km 
-- Central Bazaar Road - 1.5 KM 
-- Yateemchi Road - 5 km 
-- Flood defenses for 7 villages 
-- Compensation for damaged properties 
 
¶11. (U) For its part, the UK has agreed to contribute $4.31 million 
to fund programs focused on health, education and governance. 
 
Specific UK commitments: 
 
Health 
-- Comprehensive Health Clinic 
-- District Hospital 
-- Basic Health Clinic 
 
Education 
-- High School Renovation 
-- High School Education Store 
-- 16 new schools - outer villages of Musa Qala 
 
 
KABUL 00000019  003 OF 003 
 
 
Governance 
-- District Center Administrative Building 
-- Governor's Residence refurbishment 
-- Governor's Residence internet installation 
-- Shura Support 
 
(COMMENT: The UK funding level and projects identified here are 
based on cost and need estimates made before military operations 
ceased. USAID anticipates that the UK will revise and lower costs, 
as well as scale back programs once site surveys are completed.) 
 
Musa Qala: A Microcosm of Reconstruction Efforts? 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶12. (SBU) Musa Qala is arguably a microcosm of what we face in our 
effort to rebuild Afghanistan.  Musa Qala has been the best-known 
Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan for the past year.  Under their 
control, it became a narcotics center, where traffickers and Taliban 
could profit from the entire production chain from raw poppy to 
finished heroin.  Now that we have driven out the Taliban and shut 
down the drug market, it is time to focus on the "hold" and "build" 
parts of the "clear-hold-build" continuum that is the coalition 
mantra here in Afghanistan. 
 
¶13. (U) The GIRoA is supporting the effort by asserting the 
importance of sub-national governance.  The newly formed IDLG 
(Independent Directorate for Local Governance) is convening a shura 
to confirm a new district administrator for Musa Qala, and the MRRD 
is taking a lead role in revising the post-operation development. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Our joint success or failure in Musa Qala will be taken as 
an indicator of how effective the GIRoA is at delivering governance 
and services at the local level.  In order to help realize success, 
the USG must provide financial and technical support, as well as 
provide guidance to the Afghans on how to coordinate this effort. 
We will work closely with the GIRoA to ensure all relevant line 
ministries are mobilized to meet the Musa Qala challenge and are 
coordinated in their efforts to ensure that the central government 
is seen by district inhabitants as a competent and committed 
deliverer of government services. 
 
WOOD