VZCZCXRO9698
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 
 
KABUL 00005195  001.4 OF 003 
 
 
¶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. 
 
 
KABUL 00005195  003.4 OF 003 
 
 
-------- 
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