Community Development Distribution Reaches USD $400 million in Four Years

KABUL, 9 December, 2007 –

The National Solidarity Programme (NSP) has reached a major milestone with over $400 million in payments disbursed to 16,000 community development councils in Afghanistan.

Not only does this represent a significant contribution from the International Community it also represents an additional $40 million investment by Afghans themselves via village level community contributions; into wells, into schools, into community centers and roads. It is a strong demonstration of the mass participation in rural redevelopment and strong community ownership that has evolved in Afghanistan.

These payments have enabled more than 30,600 community development subprojects to be financed in 352 districts of the 364 districts in Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. As of November 2007, more than 19,690 communities have been mobilized by facilitating partners working with NSP, out of which more than 18,490 communities have elected CDCs and more than 18,230 Community Development Plans have been completed.

“The grant disbursements demonstrate success in promoting rural development and governance building on a grand scale in Afghanistan,” said H.E. Mohammad Ehsan Zia, Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development.

 

“But the fact is that NSP could have disbursed as much as $500 million in the same time period if it had had a stronger commitment from the international community to provide the funding needed for projects already approved under the program,” He added. “We look to the international community to accelerate their funding processes so that we may continue to advance rural development and governance through Afghanistan.”

 

CDCs promote unity, solidarity, and good governance by ensuring the active and responsible participation of villagers in their own future. Both men and women have participated in the CDC election in every village. Elected CDCs are empowered by residents to formulate Community Development Plans, which can encompass electricity generation projects, health facilities, bridges, wells, schools, and roads, small irrigation schemes, and also human capacity development activities.

 

The National Solidarity Program (NSP) was created by the Government of Afghanistan to develop the ability of Afghan communities to identify, plan, manage and monitor their own development projects. NSP empowers communities to make decisions and manage resources during all stages of the project cycle. The program lays the foundation for a sustainable form of inclusive local governance, rural reconstruction, and poverty alleviation. For more information about the National Solidarity Program, visit www.nspafghanistan.org or email info@nspafghanistan.org

 

 

For more information, please contact:

 

Ajmal Paiman, MRRD spokesman at mobile 070652860

Email: anp@mrrd.gov.af

Darul- Aman Road, Nila bagh, Kabul Afghanistan

Telephone: (9320) 2100481 or (9320) 2101387