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On the 1st day of the national consultation
conference on the role of community Development Councils (CDCs)
which officially opened by H. E. the President of Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan, the Minister of Rural Rehabilitation
and Development, H.E. Mohammad Ehsan Zia addressed the vast
gathering of representative of CDCs from across the country. We
kindly draw your attention to the complete text of his speech.
Kabul –24 October 2007,
Excellency President,
Excellencies Ministers,
Parliament Members, Governors
 Representatives
of the donor community, the
United Nations Agencies, NGOs,
Elected Members of the Community
Development Councils, Ladies and
Gentlemen.
Assalaamualaikum wa rahmatullahe
wa barakatuhu/ Good Morning.
Before continuing with my speech
I would like to pay tribute to
the Martyrs of the tragic
Baghlan incident. The death of
innocent children and our
elected representatives is a big
loss to all of us in this hall
and in this country.
I would also like to thank you
for being with us here to
witness this beautiful portrait
of Afghanistan symbolized by
this vast presence of
representatives of the Community
Development Councils (CDC) from
across the country.
I am also pleased that we are
convening the second National
Conference of the Community
Development Councils (CDCs).
The objectives of the three day
conference are:
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To exchange experiences on
the “self development” and
implementation of joint
projects between the CDCs;
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To further strengthen
national solidarity/unity
through this gathering of
the representatives of the
CDCs from across the
country;
-
To strengthen the
relationship of the CDCs
with the ministries and
other institutions;
-
To discuss and consult on
the future role of the CDCs
in the development of good
governance and social
justice.
Excellencies, Ladies and
Gentlemen,
We all understand that one of
reasons for the chronic poverty
in Afghanistan is the
centralized / exclusiveness of
power structures, and the lack
of appreciation for the role of
people in political, economic
and development processes.
Throughout the history of
Afghanistan, our citizens did
not have the key role of
defining the future of the
country and they were always
kept deprived of this right.
It’s an honor that for the first
time in our history, the Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan has
enabled the real participation
of political, cultural and
economic decision making.
Through the National Solidarity
Programme - now established in
18,400 communities - men and
women of this country are given
the authority to make social and
economic decisions for
themselves; and they have made
many good decisions in
considering the welfare of their
country and their communities.
Honorable President,
All of the honor that comes from
the achievements of the National
Solidarity Programme is yours;
these achievements would not
have been possible without your
support. Afghanistan has never
in its history witnessed the
implementation of 32,600
development projects in 18,400
villages in just four years
time. Only with the wide and
sincere participation of our
people from the most remote
parts of the country, can we
today witness this national
success.
These councils not only
implemented the development
projects, but they have played a
very vital role in bringing
unity amongst our societies,
establishing strong
relationships and trust between
the government and people, in
strengthening good local
governance, and in bringing
transparency and social justice.
Also, the fact that these
communities bear the 10% of the
cost of these projects together
with improving the quality of
work is another big achievement
for our nation.
This remarkable progress shows
that we as one nation with the
support of our international
friends are working together to
rebuild our war-torn country.
Today after six years, and,
through a comprehensive
consultative process and with
the cooperation of community
councils and governmental
bodies, the government of
Afghanistan has prepared
Provincial Development Plans in
accordance with the Afghan
National Development Strategy,
for all 34 provinces that
reflect the opinion,
expectations and recommendations
of our people. But
recommendations and advice alone
are not enough. People,
especially villagers who
represent 80% of our country,
should decide for themselves the
future of our country.
Honorable President, ladies and
gentlemen,
The development process has gone
through different stages
throughout history. Developing
countries have implemented
different development models at
very high costs, but many have
not achieved their desired
result, which is alleviation of
poverty and economic prosperity.
Today development workers and
development academics across the
world have reached the
conclusion that top-down
approaches result in failure.
Unless the development process
is bottom up and
people-centered, and poor people
are included in the process,
investment in huge
infrastructure projects will not
bring about any positive changes
to the lives of ordinary people.
Thus, it is crucial that
Afghanistan should learn from
the successful experience of
other countries, otherwise not
only will we pay a huge cost,
but through inappropriate
development policies the poor of
Afghanistan will remain poor and
the rich will become richer.
Considering the huge success of
the National Solidarity
Programme and the lessons
learned, the Ministry of Rural
Rehabilitation and Development
recommends that the well-being
of the poor should become the
central focus of all
governmental development
programmes. This is possible
when these people are permitted
to play a fundamental and key
role in the planning,
implementing, and monitoring of
all development programmes of
the government of Afghanistan.
I would like to take this
opportunity to once again thank
the Honorable President of the
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
our colleagues at the Ministry
of Finance and other
governmental organization, and
our international friends for
their assistance, their support,
and their funding the Ministry
of Rural Rehabilitation and
Development in helping us
implement the National
Solidarity Programme, the
government of Afghanistan's
flagship development programme.
Before I end my speech I would
also like to extend my thanks to
the Independent Directorate for
Local Governance and to my
colleagues for their active
participation and assistance in
establishing this crucially
important national conference.
To the future of the people-led
development process.
Thank you.
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