VZCZCXRO5632
PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL
DE RUEHBUL #0596/01 0481241
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171241Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5658
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000596 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID EFIN ECON PREL AF
SUBJECT:  REFORMING USG TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE 
PRESIDENT, HIGH OFFICE OF OVERSIGHT, AND MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Mission is developing a new, coordinated 
approach for providing salary support and technical assistance to 
key Ministries and offices of the Government of the Islamic Republic 
of Afghanistan (GIRoA).  We are designing programs to reduce 
ministerial stove-piping and enhance the GIRoA's ability to 
harmonize the activities of Ministries and independent agencies.  We 
are also working with other donors to ensure we maximize the 
positive impact of our assistance and avoid duplication of effort. 
The USG is developing three new technical assistance programs for: 
(i) the Office of the President (OoP), including the Office of 
Administrative Affairs (OAA) and the Office of the National Security 
Council (ONSC); (ii)the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA); and(iii) 
the High Office of Oversight (HOO).  In addition, a fourth 
mechanism, developed in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, 
will provide salary support directly to the GIRoA.  All the new 
programs will support elements of the GIRoA that are responsible for 
inter-ministerial coordination.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
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¶2. (SBU) Four new programs will support Ministries and agencies that 
serve an interagency coordination role within the GIRoA.  The goal 
of these assistance programs will be to support key institutions 
which will produce tangible results over the next 12-18 months, 
while also building the capacity of mid-level staff on the Tashkeel 
(the authorized personnel structure) to ensure that our institution 
building efforts are sustainable and will last beyond the U.S. 
civilian uplift and increase in financial support. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) USG assistance to the OoP, MoFA and HOO has been provided 
through USAID's cooperative agreement with the Asia Foundation since 
¶2001.  The activities under this agreement included technical 
advisory support, salary supplements, operational expenses, and 
emergency surge support to respond to immediate needs.  This 
agreement expired on January 31, 2010, but a portion of the program 
was extended to continue funding technical advisors in the HOO until 
March 31, 2010.  While the old program had positive impact, itct positions in the ONSC, OAA and 
the HOO will be supported if this joint panel can reach consensus on 
the positions.  Priority will be given for senior and mid-level 
positions that: i) contribute to inter-ministerial policy-making, 
ii) support interagency processes, and iii) provide coordination, 
communications, and record keeping functions that help with 
inter-ministerial coordination. 
 
-------------------------------- 
HIGH OFFICE OF OVERSIGHT PROGRAM 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The USG is looking at alternative ways to support the HOO 
national advisors currently paid by the Asia Foundation, by either 
placing the advisors onto the Tashkeel or transferring them to 
UNDP's Accountability and Transparency (ACT) program.  Future USG 
support to HOO will focus on building HOO capacity to carry out its 
mandate to support and oversee the development of sectoral and 
institutional anti-corruption strategies and action plans focusing 
on both corruption prevention and anti-corruption enforcement, 
ensure better coordination and efficiency of anti-corruption 
 
KABUL 00000596  002 OF 002 
 
 
efforts, and initiate anti-corruption reforms.   Activities will 
include building HOO technical capacity in priority areas (asset 
declaration, complaints, case tracking, monitoring and reporting, 
etc.); developing a long-term institutional development and 
sustainability plan, as well as a strategic action plan for leading 
and monitoring Afghan anti-corruption efforts; developing and 
implementing a plan to regionalize the HOO; and increasing HOO's 
ability to publicize its work and raise awareness of anticorruption 
issues.  A concept paper has been developed in consultation with 
HOO, the U.S. Rule of Law/Anti-Corruption team, USAID, and other 
donors.  The final scope of work will be drafted by March 31.  We 
expect to have a new program in place by the end of May. 
 
------------------------------- 
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT PROGRAM 
------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The OoP program will focus on the OAA and the ONSC.  The 
OAA provides direct administrative support to the President and 
ensures that executive policies and procedures are followed and that 
official Presidential documents are available to ministries, 
parliament, and the public.  The ONSC directs national security 
policy and strategy formulation, ensures the President is well 
informed on national security matters and during crises, and 
administers the national security decision-making processes and 
structures.  The goal of the OoP program will be to help the OoP 
ensure integrated, transparent, proactive, and corruption-free 
governance in conformity with GIRoA laws and regulations. 
Activities will focus around workforce development, systems 
development, and technical assistance. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) USAID is coordinating with POL and POL-MIL to develop an 
inventory of existing support to the OAA and ONSC to ensure that the 
new program complements the work of other donors and the military. 
The civ-mil Executive Working Group (EWG) recently tasked the 
POL-MIL counselor to lead efforts to coordinate policy and 
administrative support to the ONSC, assuming responsibility for the 
effort that had on an ad hoc basis been led by USFOR-A's L/EMB 
office.  A full-time USAID team composed of a U.S. Direct Hire and a 
Foreign Service National are meeting regularly with GIRoA officials 
who have been designated to represent GIRoA interests in the 
development of this program.  A scope of work will be drafted by 
March 31 and a new program should be in play by the end of May. 
 
----------------------------------- 
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROGRAM 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) New program development in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
has been delayed because of Cabinet and management changes within 
the Ministry and the Ministry's preoccupation with the January 28 
London Conference.  In January, Minister Zalmay Rassoul, formerly 
the National Security Advisor (who direct the activities of the 
ONSC), was confirmed as Minister of Foreign Affairs.  USAID and the 
Political and Economic Sections will work together to develop an 
appropriate project with the MoFA that focuses on regional 
cooperation, staff capacity building, and regional economic affairs. 
 A scope of work will be developed by March 31 and a new program 
should be in place by the end of May. 
 
EIKENBERRY