Jun 10, 2008 - Building an effective state that can provide security and services to the people is at the heart of the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan. This report looks at the implications for public administration reform over the next 5-10 years, and proposes a priority agenda for action by the Government of Afghanistan and the donor community.
Facts: - Many functions expected of government are still performed by the international community, or are not performed at all. - Foreign aid to Afghanistan is around seven times the level of domestic revenues. - Two-thirds of aid is channeled outside of the government’s budget, which has created a 'second civil service' of externally-paid consultants. - Afghanistan is one of the most centralized states in the world with 44 percent of the civil service workforce based in Kabul.
Building an effective state that can provide security and services to the people is at the heart of the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan. This report looks at the implications for public administration reform over the next 5-10 years, and proposes a priority agenda for action by the Government of Afghanistan and the donor community. It focuses on three main areas: building an effective civil service, improving governance and service delivery at the local level, and making government accountable to the people.
This chapter reviews progress over the past five years in building an effective public administration in Afghanistan. It draws some lessons from successes and failures in Afghanistan – as well as from research and experience in other countries. It outlines the context and prospects for accelerating public administration reforms and improving the delivery of public services.
The Government of Afghanistan embarking on a major reform of the civil service pay and grade structure. This is seen as important for attracting and retaining quality human resources. However, it will be a challenge to implement a merit-based system in the face of widespread patronage and corruption. This chapter looks the sequencing of reform actions, the role of the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission and line ministries and ways to monitor progress.
Chapter 3: Improving Local Governance and Service Delivery
There has been growing debate over the past year about the role of sub-national administration. While Afghanistan is a unitary state, the Constitution provides flexibility to delegate functions to provincial and district government units. This chapter looks at the major challenges facing sub-national administration in Afghanistan, their impact on governance and service delivery at the local level, and the implications for public administration reform.
Chapter 4: Making Government Accountable to the People
Some of the checks and balances on government power come from internal controls, including through better public financial management. However, most successful states recognize the importance of external controls on executive power, formally through the judiciary and parliament, and informally through the role of civil society and the media. This chapter explores what can be done to make government more accountable to the people, through better information flows and transparency, as well as institutional development of parliament and the judiciary.
Chapter 5: A Twelve-Point agenda for Public Administration Reform
Afghanistan’s experience over the past five years, as well as lessons from other fragile states, provide some ideas about how to go about public administration reform. This chapter attempts to distil the main points into a twelve-point agenda, which is intended to help shape the debate on public administration reform within the Government and the donor community – with the objective of speeding up progress on reforms and realizing tangible benefits over the next 5-10 years.
World Bank Program Website maintained by the World Bank Office in Kabul, a launching pad to all information on World Bank activities in the country (strategy, projects, publications, etc.)
Development Data A wide range of social and economic measures on Afghanistan, including links to the World Bank's most important online development databases.
Analysis and Research Compilation of all the World Bank's publications on Afghanistan, with 'search' options and links to analysis and research on other South Asian countries.
World Bank Program in South Asia Launching pad to all information on World Bank activities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
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