Afghanistan: Governance & Development in Nangarhar Province in the Era of the Coalition Military Drawdown

The Capstone team was invited by the Civilian Platform of Regional Command-East (the Client) of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan to assess the stabilization, governance, and development needs in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan and to draft a proposal for civilian activities to address those needs during the 2013-2014 and post-2014 periods. Using both survey data of Afghan perceptions and insight gleaned through meetings with subject matter experts on Afghanistan, the team identified 14 grievances in Nangarhar. From these, the team assessed two to be sources of instability: lack of livelihoods and inadequate dispute resolution.

To address the sources of instability and contribute to the province’s governance and development priorities, the team recommended specific U.S. government activities with the following objectives: strengthen Afghanistan’s public financial management; improve the province’s dispute resolution mechanisms and capacity for rule of law; create jobs by bolstering its agricultural sector and electrifying its industrial parks; and enhance access to and quality of higher education in Nangarhar. Aware of the restrictions—and opportunities—created by a reduced international civilian-military presence, the team explored how to maximize impact of U.S. government programming with fewer resources. The recommendations are intended to give practitioners a menu of options for ongoing development efforts as all U.S. agencies in Afghanistan are forced to consolidate their programming. All recommendations aim at enhancing and empowering Afghan institutions and citizens to maintain the gains that have been made over the past decade and to build on these efforts in the long run.