VZCZCXRO5379
PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #5299 3041439
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311439Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3861
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3190
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3324
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS KABUL 005299 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A. CG CJTF-76 POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PREL AF
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL DONORS COORDINATE ON RULE OF LAW 
 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Members of the international community met to 
try to better coordinate donor assistance to rule of law 
projects in Afghanistan. Major donors discussed the formation 
of an international justice reform coordination group that 
could facilitate information sharing and help better address 
the needs of the Afghan justice sector. The meeting was 
called by representatives from the United Nations Assistance 
Mission Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the new Italian Rule of Law 
Officer and it seems that the two entities are trying to push 
better donor coordination and attention for the justice 
sector. In advance of the next meeting, participants agreed 
to create a mission statement and a matrix listing donor 
activities in the provinces. This will lay the groundwork for 
a broader discussion on better ways to coordinate aid in the 
provinces and on where the gaps and overlaps presently exist. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) New Embassy Rule of Law Coordinator, Gary Peters, 
along with Deputy ROL Coordinator, INL, and USAID officers 
attended a meeting on international justice reform 
coordination, on October 31, called by UNAMA and the Italian 
Rule of Law officer. The purpose was to create a new body 
consisting of the major international contributors to justice 
programs in order to better coordinate the distribution of 
aid and to harmonize guidance to the GOA on justice reforms. 
Participants felt that the group could help the international 
community speak with one voice developing a single position 
as a group. The secretariat of the group is to be shared by 
UNAMA and the Italian representative while the chairperson 
will be selected on a rotating basis. Meetings are set to 
take place monthly at the UNAMA and Italian Justice 
compounds. Membership includes: UNAMA, UNODC, UNDP, UNIFEM, 
UNICEF, the Italian Embassy, American Embassy, British 
Embassy, Canadian Embassy, German Embassy, ISAF, European 
Commission, and the Office of the European Union Special 
Representative. The group decided to also invite a 
representative from the Norwegian Embassy. No Afghans were 
invited, but the group intends to be transparent with the GOA 
about its existence and activities. (NOTE: A name for the 
group has not yet been agreed upon. END NOTE.) 
 
¶3. (U) The scope of the group's work remains under debate. 
Some of the participants advocated to keep the mandate broad, 
but most agreed that the focus should be on justice reform 
from the point where the prosecutors pick up a case to the 
release of prisoners. The Ministry of Justice, the Supreme 
Court, National Directorate for Security (with regards to 
Security Courts),  and the Attorney General's office would be 
included for discussion but the Ministry of Interior would, 
for the most part, remain the responsibility of the 
German-led Police working group. The ISAF representative 
emphasized that they are key supporters of justice reform and 
consider it a necessary component of security. 
 
¶4. (U) The group decided to start its work focusing on better 
provincial coordination. A matrix will be created to collect 
information on all international donor programs in one place. 
After collection, the group will gather to discuss the 
creation of a provincial level mechanism to coordinate aid, 
similar to the Supreme Court Training Committee that oversees 
all judicial training. The matrix will also help donors 
better identify areas that need additional aid and potential 
overlaps. The UK will take the lead in drafting a mission 
statement and distribute to the group for clearance. The 
consensus of the group was that it should serve a strategic 
function, not merely as a forum for information sharing. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: Post believes that this group has potential 
to improve donor coordination on justice reform efforts. The 
small size of the group, and determination of the members to 
see action are positive factors. END COMMENT. 
NEUMANN