Aid Program Performance
Report 2013-14
Afghanistan
September 2014
Key Messages
This Aid Program Performance Report (APPR) reviews progress towards the objectives of the
Afghanistan-Australia Program Strategy 2013-14: enhancing basic service delivery in health and
education, supporting rural development and livelihoods, improving governance and the
effectiveness of the Afghan Government, and supporting vulnerable populations.
This APPR finds:
›
Afghanistan remains one of the most challenging countries in which Australia delivers a major
aid program. Ongoing conflict is the primary challenge to development, but the program’s
effectiveness and sustainability is also impacted by Afghanistan’s low development base, the
high-risk environment (both security and fiduciary), and the fact that Australia’s aid
constitutes only a small part of international assistance.
›
Notwithstanding these challenges, Australia made the progress it expected against all four
objectives in 2013-14. DFAT’s efforts in strengthening the strategic framework, consolidating
the number of initiatives and sectors, and refining monitoring and evaluation has improved
the program’s management, quality and effectiveness.
›
The context in Afghanistan has changed significantly in the reporting year. While Australia has
supported, and will continue to support, Afghanistan’s broader transition to self-reliance, the
challenge now is to design and deliver a national-level program that remains flexible enough
to respond to circumstances outside our control.
›
Investing resources in policy dialogue and partnership engagement enabled Australia to be
influential as a mid-level donor in 2013-14. The integration of the former Australian Agency
for International Development (AusAID) and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
yields opportunities to enhance future policy dialogue.
Context
The 2013-14 financial year heralded key moments in the parallel security, political and economic
transitions in Afghanistan. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-led International
Security Assistance Force is transferring sole responsibility for security in Afghanistan to the
Afghan Security Forces, in a process due for completion by the end of 2014. In April 2014,
Afghanistan held Presidential and Provincial elections, the outcomes of which will be crucial to
the Afghan state’s functioning and legitimacy. Ongoing progress towards the longer-term goal of
supporting the Afghan economy to become independent of aid flows continued via a robust,
coordinated dialogue between donors and the Afghan Government. However, as international
forces and donor spending draw down, Afghanistan’s ability to provide security and services to its
population remains precarious, a situation exacerbated by the Afghan Government’s failure to
make reforms to stimulate economic activity. These transitions will shape the future of
Afghanistan, and the shape of Australia’s future aid program.
Since 2001, Afghanistan has made some remarkable development gains. Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) grew at an average rate of nine per cent between 2001 and 20121 and
Afghanistan is on track to achieve the education and maternal health Millennium Development
1 World
Bank, Afghanistan in Transition: Looking Beyond 2014, Washington DC, 2013
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
1
Goals by 2020.2 School enrolments have increased from fewer than one million in 2001 to close
to eight million today (including about three million girls from almost zero).3 Basic health services
are now available to 85 per cent of the population, up from 10 per cent in 2001.4 Over 12,000
kilometres of rural roads have been rehabilitated, encouraging economic activity by improving
access to markets and essential services, increasing connectivity and offering employment.5
Nonetheless, Afghanistan continues to face immense challenges. It remains one of the poorest
countries in the world, ranking 175 out of 186 countries on the UN Human Development Index.6
Around a third of its population (roughly 11 million people) live on less than US$1.25 a day.7
Gender inequality in Afghanistan remains entrenched—the country ranks 150 out of 152
countries on the United Nations Development Program’s Gender Inequality Index8— and rates of
violence against women are high, with 87 per cent of women experiencing physical or
psychological violence.9 Life expectancy is short (58 years for men and 61 for women)10, infant
mortality rates are high (71/1000 live births)11 and literacy levels are poor (the adult literacy rate
is 31.4 per cent and only 17 per cent for women).12 Ongoing conflict, high levels of corruption
and low government capacity pose fundamental challenges to development.13
Afghanistan’s current macroeconomic circumstances severely constrain the Government’s ability
to protect gains and respond to challenges. Despite robust agricultural production in 2013,
heightened uncertainty and ongoing security issues reduced private investment and stifled nonagricultural sector growth (especially in services and construction). As a result, economic growth
only reached 3.6 per cent last year, down from 14.4 per cent in 2012, and will likely average 4-6
per cent over the next five years.14 The Afghan Government’s dependence on foreign aid for over
two-thirds of its national budget and the recent decline in domestic revenue collection compound
these challenges. With obligations to start paying for a share of their security and development
expenditure, and without necessary reforms to stimulate increased domestic revenues, the
Government is deferring or winding back important civilian expenditures. The World Bank
estimates that Afghanistan’s fiscal gap will increase to US$7.8 billion annually from 2014-15.15
Closing this gap will require the Afghan Government to implement tax reform and improve
enforcement from existing revenue sources, and support a secure environment that facilitates
investment and expansion in sectors important to broad-based economic growth (agriculture,
mining and construction).16
2 Afghanistan
only signed the Millennium Declaration in 2004. The country has since adapted the MDG timelines and targets to
make them meaningful to an Afghan context. This includes extending timelines to 2020 and adding a ninth MDG on enhancing
security (UNDP 2008, MDGs Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Vision 2020 Annual Progress Report).
3 World Bank, ARTF Results Matrix 2013, Kabul, 2013.
4 World Bank. Afghanistan Overview, 2014.
5 World Bank, ARTF Results Matrix 2013, World Bank, Kabul, 2013.
6 United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Reports, Table 2: Human Development Index trends,
https://data.undp.org/dataset/Table-2-Human-Development-Index-trends/efc4-gjvq, accessed 25 July 2014
7 Government of Afghanistan, National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment 2011-2012, Central Statistics Organization, 2014
8 United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Reports, Table 4: Gender Inequality,
https://data.undp.org/dataset/Table-4-Gender-Inequality-Index/pq34-nwq7, accessed 25 July 2014.
9 Global Rights: Partners for Justice, Living with Violence: A National Report on Domestic Abuse in Afghanistan, Global Rights,
Washington DC, 2008
10 This measure is life expectancy at birth. World Health Organization, World Health Statistics, Geneva 2014
11 World Health Organization, World Health Statistics, World Health Organization, Geneva 2014
12 Government of Afghanistan, National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment 2011-2012, Central Statistics Organization, 2014
13 Transparency International ranks Afghanistan as 175 out of 177 countries in 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index.
http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2013/results/, accessed 25 July 2014.
14 World Bank, Afghanistan Economic Update, April 2014.
15 World Bank, Afghanistan in Transition: Looking Beyond 2014, Washington DC, 2013
16 World Bank, Afghanistan Economic Update, April 2014.
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
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In line with transition, Australian engagement in Afghanistan changed in the 2013-14 financial
year. The closure of the Uruzgan Provincial Reconstruction Team in December 2013 and the
transfer of security responsibilities to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) meant that many of
Australia’s Uruzgan-based development initiatives concluded by the end of 2013. Other
Australian agencies—namely the Australian Federal Police and Department of Immigration and
Border Protection—also finalised their national-level development assistance programs.17
Anticipating this swiftly changing environment, the Afghanistan program developed a two-year
Program Strategy for 2013-14 (instead of the usual four-year strategy). This Strategy highlighted
interventions that supported transition: delivering services that the Afghan Government is unable
to provide in an environment of instability and insecurity; investing in rural development and
agriculture to build resilience in remote communities; strengthening governance to support the
Afghan Government to assume greater responsibility for security and development; and providing
humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable.
Australia delivered this aid program in an environment dominated by other donors: in 2013, the
US provided around $1.6 billion, Germany around US$565 million, the United Kingdom around
$270 million and the European Union around US$260 million.18 In 2012, Australia’s aid
investment represented approximately 3.5 per cent of the total international development
assistance in Afghanistan.19 Australia maximises the effect of these investments by partnering
with other donors through multilateral organisations and investing in areas that leverage
Australia’s areas of expertise.
Australia supports its aid program to Afghanistan through policy dialogue with the Afghan
Government and international partners. The integration of AusAID with DFAT helped to make
Australia’s development assistance and diplomatic efforts increasingly mutually supportive. This
has been particularly beneficial on issues that cut across both areas, including Afghanistan’s
economic transition, engagement with the Afghan Government and international community on
the Afghan presidential elections, and Australia’s contribution to the security transition and ANSF
sustainment.
Australia is active in the ‘5+3+3’, a group of donors that coordinates aid and economic dialogue
with the Afghan Government. This group oversees commitments under the Tokyo Mutual
Accountability Framework (TMAF), a compact signed by the international community and Afghan
Government in 2012.20 Ongoing development assistance relies on the Afghan Government
demonstrating progress against reform commitments including: tackling corruption, conducting
credible elections, undertaking economic reform, and protecting human rights, particularly
women’s rights. A Special Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board Meeting (January 2014)
assessed progress against TMAF commitments and found that both the Government of
Afghanistan and donors have made sound progress. The NATO Summit in Wales and TMAF
Conference in London in 2014 will be key opportunities for the new Afghan Government and
donors to discuss the Afghan Government’s security sector and development priorities.
Some of the development assistance programs funded by DIBP will continue to be delivered in out-years.
provided by the Afghan Ministry of Finance.
19 Total ODA to Afghanistan sourced from Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, Geographical Distribution
of Financial Flows to Developing Countries 2013: Disbursements, Commitments, Country Indicators, 2014.
20 Other 5+3+3 members include the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, European Union, Canada and the
Nordics, and the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and International Monetary Fund.
17
18 Figures
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Expenditure
Table 1 outlines Australian expenditure against the objectives of the Afghanistan program
strategy for 2013-14. Two initiatives—the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) and the
Development Assistance Facility for Afghanistan (DAFA)—cut across objectives.
Table 1: Expenditure in FY 2013-14
Objective
A$ million
% of program
Enhancing basic service delivery in health and education
11.1
8.5
Supporting rural development and livelihoods
23.3
17.8
Improving governance and the effectiveness of the Afghan Government
7.6
5.8
Supporting vulnerable populations
10.4
8.0
Cross-objective initiatives (ARTF, DAFA)
77.4
59.2
Source: Aidworks and Pipeline Plan
Australia committed $149.3 million in development assistance to Afghanistan in 2013-14,
incorporating $7.6 million from DFAT’s regional aid programs (including the Eliminating Violence
Against Women Program and assistance provided by the Australian Civilian Corps reported on in
this APPR) and $10.9 million from other government agencies (also reported on in this APPR).
Progress Towards Objectives
The Afghanistan program uses a performance assessment framework (PAF) to assess progress
towards Program Strategy objectives. Over the past year, Australia maintained or improved the
rating against all objectives, reflecting stronger program management and better expectation
setting. By directly supporting Afghan Government programs through on-budget support across
sectors, Australia’s funding to the ARTF is key to achieving all Program Strategy objectives. Given
its broad nature and significance relative to overall aid expenditure in Afghanistan, this APPR will
assess the ARTF as a single entity (pp.12-13).
Objective
Current rating
Previous rating
Objective 1 Enhancing basic service delivery in health and education
Green
Amber
Objective 2 Supporting rural development and livelihoods
Green
Amber
Objective 3 Improving governance and the effectiveness of the Afghan Government
Green
Amber
Objective 4 Supporting vulnerable populations
Green
Green
Note:
 Green. Progress is as expected for this point in time and it is likely that the objective will be achieved. Standard program management
practices are sufficient.
 Amber. Progress is somewhat less than expected for this point in time and restorative action will be necessary if the objective is to be
achieved. Close performance monitoring is recommended.
 Red. Progress is significantly less than expected for this point in time and the objective is not likely to be met given available resources and
priorities. Recasting the objective may be required.
Objective 1: Enhancing basic service delivery in health and education
Afghanistan has had some significant successes in health and education, including increasing
school enrolments from less than one million in 2001 to close to eight million today (including
about three million girls from almost zero).21 However, the Afghan Government does not yet have
21 World
Bank, ARTF Results Matrix 2013, Kabul, 2013.
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
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capacity to deliver education and health services to communities that are geographically isolated
or in conflict. Education and health are critical needs that would address the lack of service
delivery and improve perceptions of government legitimacy in Afghanistan during transition.
Australia aims to improve the quality, access and demand for health and education of children
and their families, with a focus on providing services to women and girls and remote
communities. This objective is rated green as all the initiatives met or exceeded their targets
identified in the PAF, except for the Australia Awards initiative, which was suspended this year.
Assessment of Progress
Save the Children delivered almost half of Australia’s expenditure against this objective through
the Children of Uruzgan program. This program delivers health and education services to remote
populations. An independent evaluation found that—despite the challenges of operating in
Uruzgan Province—the Children of Uruzgan Program is achieving remarkable gains.22 This
program reached its targets, including providing 112,935 consultations (including 70,245 for
females) and providing training on hygiene practices to more than 20,000 people. It provided
community based education classes to 6,715 children, including 960 girls.23
CARE’s Empowerment Through Education initiative filled a critical gap in basic education services
in remote and rural communities, particularly for girls. This initiative works closely with the
Ministry of Education and follows the national curriculum, and will be handed over to the Ministry
on conclusion. This initiative reached all its targets for 2013-14, including continuing providing
education to 2,754 students (80 per cent girls) in 108 primary-level classes in Parwan and
Kapisa, and supporting 12 lower-secondary classes in Khost Province (including 241 girls).24
The Red Cross Afghanistan Health Services initiative provides health services to more than three
million people beyond the reach of Afghanistan’s national health care. This program reached its
targets, including vaccinating more than 569,000 children against polio, and more than 198,000
children against diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus.25
Afghanistan faces a critical gap in education quality. Australia sought to bridge this gap through
an innovative trilateral initiative: the Malaysia Australia Education Project for Afghanistan
(MAEPA). An independent evaluation found that MAEPA improved education quality by providing
advanced training in literacy, Islamic education, and curriculum development to Afghan teacher
trainers at the Malaysian Institute of Teacher Training in Kuala Lumpur. During the past year,
MAEPA trained 279 master teacher trainers, teacher trainers and education sector leaders,
including 71 women.26
DFAT suspended the Australia Awards program—including short-term Fellowship courses and
long-term Development Awards and Leadership Awards—in August 2012 due to key outcomes of
the program not being met and allegations of fraud that were the subject of a comprehensive
independent investigation. The investigation concluded in March 2014 and DFAT suspended the
program indefinitely. As of March 2014, of 111 students who have been awarded a scholarship
22 Coffey,
Children of Uruzgan Mid Term Review, February 2014
the Children Annual Report, 2013
24 Care Australia, Mid-term Report, April 2014
25 No gender disaggregated data is available for these targets. Australian Red Cross, Interim Report: 1 July 2013 to 31
December 2013
26 MAEPA, Evaluation, December 2013
23 Save
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since 2009, 39 students have graduated and returned home to Afghanistan and 16 are still
studying in Australia and Afghanistan.
Objective 2: Supporting Rural Development and Livelihoods
More than 75 per cent of the Afghan population lives in rural areas where agriculture is the
primary activity. In these areas, economic productivity is vulnerable to the effects of cyclical
drought and flooding and poverty rates are high, partly because of the reliance on rain-fed (not
irrigated) farming. Australia’s programs strengthen the resilience of people in rural areas by
improving infrastructure, enhancing food security and lifting agricultural productivity through
research.
Supporting rural development and livelihoods is also an Afghan Government priority. Boosting
agriculture supports the economy: agriculture accounts for almost a third of Afghanistan’s GDP
and formally employs around 60 per cent of the total Afghan workforce.27 In 2013, with the
support of donors like Australia, the Afghan Government developed a Dry Land Farming Strategy
to improve its efforts in the agricultural sector.28 Recognising the importance of rural
development and livelihoods, between 2012 and 2014 the World Bank allocated over 50 per
cent of ARTF project funds to programs in rural development, agriculture and infrastructure.
In 2013-14, progress against this objective is green as most projects are on track, improving the
2012-13 amber rating when a number of new activities had made uneven progress.
Assessment of progress
Australia dedicated 70 per cent of expenditure against this objective to two infrastructure
projects in Uruzgan. The Rural Access Roads Project, delivered through the United Nations Office
for Project Services (UNOPS), improves access to markets, enables access to essential services
such as health and education, increases connectivity between communities, districts, and the
provincial government, and provides employment. Independent monitoring and UNOPS reporting
indicate this program is on-track to meet current schedules, with around 50 per cent of the work
to construct and rehabilitate over 140km of one- and two-lane gravel roads complete.29
The National Area-Based Development Programme, delivered through the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), improved access to arable land by constructing flood
protection walls, bridges and wells. It is on track with anticipated progress, completing five
kilometres of major retaining walls over 10 different sites.30 Work at a further 16 sites also
progressed well; however, further flood damage may extend the end dates by six months.
In 2013-14, Australia contributed to enhancing food security in Afghanistan by supporting the
World Food Programme’s first Strategic Grain Reserve facility in Kabul. This 22,500 tonne facility
is one of a network of facilities that, when complete, will be able to feed two million people for up
to six months in times of crisis. This means they will not have to sell their assets to survive and
will be able to recover more speedily after a disaster. Outside disasters, the Reserve provides a
buffer to dampen the shock of seasonal variations in the price of wheat.31
World Bank, Agriculture in Afghanistan: Growing the Economy, Jobs and Food Security , Presentation to the ARTF Strategy
Group Meeting, Kabul, May 2014
28 This Strategy is awaiting approval by the new Afghan government.
29 UNOPS, Uruzgan Rural Access Project Quarterly Report, April 2014
30UNDP, National Area-Based Development Programme: 2013 Annual Progress Report,
31 World Food Program, Report on Capacity Development in Support of the Strategic Grain Reserve, May 2014.
27
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Through ACIAR’s Afghanistan Agricultural Research Portfolio initiative, Australia helped to lift
productivity through research on types of grain and practices that are more resilient to
environmental factors in Afghanistan. This initiative exceeded its targets, training more than 500
participants (including 400 women) in better agricultural and horticultural practices, and running
253 dry-land farming field demonstrations. ACIAR also tested more than 2000 lines of improved
wheat in Afghanistan and at international research centres.32
In 2013-14, Australia also commenced the Australia Afghanistan Community Resilience Scheme
(AACRS) in partnership with non-government organisations. The AACRS promotes small-scale,
inclusive private sector growth and resilience to shocks in rural Afghanistan through improved
agricultural productivity and market linkages. In 2014-15, Australia will use ACIAR’s research to
strengthen AACRS outcomes, such as increasing the uptake of improved wheat varieties.
Objective 3: Improving Governance and the Effectiveness of the Government
For the Afghan Government to successfully take on increased security and development
obligations throughout transition and effectively deliver services there is a need for strengthened
governance, particularly around public financial management, public service capacity, the rule of
law, addressing corruption and regulatory oversight.33 Australian support focused on improving
economic and structural reforms and public financial management; strengthening democratic
processes; and supporting national efforts to protect and promote human rights, particularly the
rights of women. Overall, the rating is green as activities met their expected outcomes.
Assessment of progress
A recent independent review of Australia’s bilateral Public Financial Management (PFM) Program
found the strong relationships formed between DFAT, the program team and target line
ministries (especially the Ministry of Finance) increased Afghan Government ownership of the
program. Civil servants in these ministries engaged proactively in training and mentoring.
Through this program, public servants’ skills and budget processing times improved, supporting
more efficient service delivery in the Ministries of Education, Public Works, Agriculture and Public
Health. These ministries account for 40 per cent of national development budget spending in
Afghanistan. Having exceeded the June 2014 targets (training 500 civil servants), the PFM
Program helped improve the Afghan Government’s ability to spend allocated development
budgets compared to previous years (51 per cent in 2012, to 57 per cent in 2013).34
Australia made an important contribution to the 2014 presidential elections by supporting voter
engagement, independent observers and electoral institutions. These activities far exceeded
their targets. The Afghanistan Capacity for Media and Elections program more than doubled its
target of training and mentoring 300 journalists reporting on elections. It enabled impartial and
educational news content to reach remote communities across the country.35 Australia’s support
to the Afghan Independent Electoral Commission through the UNDP provided critical operational
support for the elections. While claims of fraud marred the second round of elections, Australia
and the international community used its partnership to advocate for robust dispute resolution
processes, mitigating the risk of ongoing instability arising from disputed election results.36
ACIAR, Afghanistan Country Review Key Outcomes, September 2013.
Bank (2013), Afghanistan in Transition: Looking Beyond 2014, Washington DC.
34 The program provided training to 1,294 public servants across targeted ministries, of which 164 (13 per cent) were women.
Jensen (2014), PFM Independent Mid-Term Review.
35 ACME trained 806 (156 female) journalists. Afghanistan Capacity for Media and Elections, Monthly Report, April 2014.
36 United Nations Development Program, Afghan Presidential and Provincial Council Elections: Facts and Figures, April 2014.
32
33 World
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
7
In 2013-14, Australia significantly supported national efforts to protect and promote human
rights, particularly the rights of women, through its regional programs. In June 2013, Australia
began supporting national efforts to eliminate violence against women (EVAW) in Afghanistan. It
increased access to support services for women affected by violence; improved women’s access
to justice; and attempted to reduce violence through advocacy and raising awareness.
The EVAW program demonstrated strong results in the first year of implementation. Between
June 2013 and March 2014, the Women’s Protection Program managed by UN Women provided
1,903 services, including medical and legal aid, counselling, literacy and vocational training, to
1,397 women and girl survivors of violence.37 Over the same period, 3,586 people (1,464
women and 2,122 men)—including government officials, police, community members and
teachers and students—received training on women’s rights and the EVAW Law.38
In addition, Australia’s ongoing partnership with the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights
Commission (AIHRC) contributed to Australia’s efforts to protect and promote human rights,
especially the rights of women and girls. The Commission launched the first national inquiry into
honour killing and rape, bringing to light issues that had long been taboo in Afghanistan. The
Inquiry identified underlying issues that deny women and girls their basic human rights and took
early steps to find solutions. A recent evaluation found the AIHRC’s work on human rights
education and women’s rights to be a particular achievement.39
Objective 4: Supporting Vulnerable Populations
On top of ongoing conflict, Afghanistan also faces a drought every two or three years, with flash
flooding in many of the alternate years. These factors, and the fragility of the Government, have
led international humanitarian agencies to conclude that Afghanistan faces one of the worst
protracted humanitarian crises in the world.40 Conflict and natural disasters mean that 12 per
cent (3.6 million) of the Afghan population is displaced41, and a third of the Afghan population
(7.6 million) regularly do not have enough food to eat.42 Years of heavy conflict have left their
legacy, and Afghanistan remains one of the most land-mined countries in the world.43
In 2013-14, Australia provided equal funding to two of the most effective humanitarian actors in
Afghanistan: the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Mine Action Service. In 2013-14,
progress against this objective is rated green, as the initiatives exceeded expected outcomes.
Assessment of Progress
One focus area in 2013-14 was food security. Australia’s grant to the WFP in 2013-14
contributed to it distributing 106,000 tonnes of rations to 3.5 million people in 2013, including
1.6 million women and girls. The WFP distributed 65 per cent of these rations to vulnerable
groups, including 230,000 pregnant and lactating women suffering from malnutrition; 76,000
children (36,700 girls) between 6-59 months suffering from severe to moderate malnutrition;
880,000 children (580,000 girls) in exchange for regular school attendance; and 32,000 women
UNWomen, Afghan Women’s Protection Program, Quarterly Reports 1,2 & 3.
UNFPA, Strengthening the capacity of Afghanistan’s Police and other Legal Actors Towards Combatting VAW , Quarter 3
Project Report , March 2014; The Asia Foundation, Strengthened Access to Justice for Women Affected by Violence, Quarter 3
Project Report, March 2014; UNWomen, Afghan Women’s Protection Program, Quarterly Reports 1,2 & 3.
39 Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Strategic Plan & Action Plan Evaluation, Kabul, November 2013, p.6
40 For example, Afghanistan is seventh in the European Commission, Global Vulnerability and Crisis Assessment 2013, ECHO
41 UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR country operations profile: Afghanistan, Statistical Snapshot, January 2014
42 Government of Afghanistan, National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment 2011-2012, Central Statistics Organization, 2014
43 UN Mine Action Service, 1393 Integrated Operational Framework, Kabul
37
38
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in exchange for livelihood training.44 In doing so, the WFP aims to break the cycle of poor health
and educational outcomes that undermine broader efforts to reduce poverty in Afghanistan.
Mine action was another focus area in 2013-14. Australia funded the UN Mine Action Service in
2013 as part of a four-year program to demine more than seven million square metres of land in
Afghanistan. Our support led to the clearance of more than 700 mines and 7,000 explosive
remnants of war from 3.3 million square metres of hazardous land (exceeding the target of
1.15 million square metres), benefiting more than 61,000 Afghans.45
To support those who had already suffered an explosive or mine-related injury, UNMAS provided
more than 4,000 people with prosthetics, orthotics, physiotherapy and health education services.
UNMAS also taught more than 200,000 people how to identify, avoid and mitigate the impacts of
mines and explosive remnants of war. By reducing deaths and injury, and by clearing productive
and strategic land for use by Afghans, UNMAS contributes to economic growth and better health
outcomes.
Mutual Obligations
The Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework (2012) has been the main vehicle through which the
Afghan Government and international community has held each other to account for the
extraordinary aid flows that Afghanistan receives. It outlines specific political, governance and
human rights reforms, development priorities and approaches to the provision of aid.46 The
Afghan Government has made some progress toward achieving the TMAF hard deliverables.47
Significantly, they implemented electoral reforms that led to Afghanistan holding democratic
elections, enacted key legislation and regulations to increase revenue and encourage
investment, and established democratic and human rights institutions (including the AIHRC).
However, ongoing disagreements between the Government and the international community on
what is required to meet each deliverable has hampered implementation and led to a processheavy approach.
In line with our commitments under the TMAF, Australia aligns over 90 per cent of its support
with Afghanistan’s National Priority Programs (NPPs) and provides 50 per cent of its support
through Afghan Government systems or ‘on-budget’. Australia provides the majority of on-budget
support through the ARTF, which aligns its spending with the NPPs. The World Bank’s ARTF
Scorecard is one tangible way to measure Government progress against the NPPs. It
demonstrated that the Government is meeting education and service delivery goals, but less
reliably meeting agriculture and rural development goals (on-track in agricultural and/or irrigation
services, but off-track on providing savings and enterprise support, and employment targets). In
assessing organisational effectiveness, the ARTF scorecard found the capacity of the
44 Rations
in the school feeding and training programs are provided to students during the school and training sessions
themselves to ensure attendance. Take home rations for girls are provided subject to girls attending that day of school. WFP
data indicates that actual distribution to school children and women were higher than planned distribution indicating that both
programs are achieving results. World Food Program, Standard Project Report, 2013.
45 UN Mine Action Service, Support to Mine Action in Afghanistan: Interim Report for the Government of Australia, 2013
46 Complementary to this, Afghanistan is also one of seven pilot countries for implementing the New Deal for engaging in Fragile
States: an agreed approach at the global level between development partners including Australia, and self-nominated fragile
states, which has mutual accountability at its heart. Donors recognise the TMAF as being aligned with the New Deal, and puts
into action many of its key principles.
47 A hard deliverable is a measure by which the Afghan Government and International Community have agreed to measure
progress against TMAF goals.
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
9
Government as off-track (measured through the execution rate of the development budget and
percentage of audit reports received on time).48
Australia also assesses and supports Afghan Government progress on financial reform by
participating in the ARTF Incentive Program (IP) Working Group. Under the IP, the Afghan
Government and World Bank (on behalf of ARTF donors) agree to a range of performance
benchmarks that the World Bank reviews. Following the most recent review in May 2014, donors
(including Australia) agreed that the IP should disburse US$54.1 million to the Afghan
Government (of a possible US$182 million). That payment rewarded the progress achieved by
the government in 2013, including improved revenue collection, external audit performance,
operations and maintenance expenditure, and business licencing.
In the annual Development Cooperation Dialogue with the Afghan Finance Ministry (June 2014),
Australia confirmed its continued commitment to the TMAF, including providing on-budget
support through the ARTF and aligning programs with the NPPs. This year, Australia will develop
Joint Financing Agreements with Afghan line ministries and/or the Ministry of Finance for
Australia’s on-going bilateral commitments. This will enhance mutual accountability at the
sectoral level and facilitate stronger policy dialogue on development issues. The immediate
priority will be developing these agreements for the AACRS and EVAW programs.
Program Quality and Management
DFAT used the Program Strategy and its accompanying performance assessment framework to
pursue a more deliberate approach to all aspects of aid management. DFAT consolidated the
program to the most strongly performing initiatives that align with the objectives—reducing from
21 to 12 investments—allowing program managers to focus on performance and quality. In
addition, DFAT undertook evaluations of a number of programs to understand better the impact
and effectiveness of our activities (Annex C provides a list of these and future evaluations).
Analysis of Quality at Implementation Reports
DFAT managers use Quality at Implementation (QAI) Reports to assess the quality of individual
aid investments. Investments are rated against five quality criteria set by the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development with a sixth criterion on gender equality (reflecting the
value Australia places on the empowerment of women and girls through its aid program).
The Afghanistan program produced QAI assessments for the 13 largest investments in 2013. The
results (in Annex B) reflect the positive assessments made earlier in this APPR and indicate that
12 of 13 Australian aid investments in 2013 were effective. The remaining initiative, the Afghan
Scholarships Program, was suspended indefinitely in 2014.49 The results also show significant
improvements since 2012, particularly in two programs previously rated as ineffective: NADBP
and the ARTF.50
48 World
Bank, ARTF Scorecard 2013: Integrated Performance and Management Framework, Kabul, 2013
Australia will make residual payments as the current recipients finish their degrees.
50 NABDP, implemented by the UNDP, was assessed as satisfactory only in one criterion in 2012, but in 2013 was assessed as
satisfactory in five criteria, as it was in a better position to make progress in 2013. Similarly, the ARTF was assessed as only
performing satisfactorily in three criteria in 2012, but by 2013, it was assessed as performing satisfactorily in five criteria. This
improvement can, in part, be credited to the World Bank taking steps to improve monitoring and evaluation of the ARTF,
responding to advocacy by Australia and other donors.
49
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
10
The QAI assessments highlight general trends in the strengths and challenges of the Afghanistan
aid program. Table 2 demonstrates that initiatives are highly relevant to the context and generally
effective. However, DFAT remains cautious about the sustainability of its investments. The
uncertainty accompanying Afghanistan’s political, economic and security transitions means that
it is difficult to confirm that the benefits of Australian investments will significantly outlive the
investments themselves. However, DFAT’s approach of supporting the Afghan Government to
achieve its own development goals through targeted investments that leverage Australia’s areas
of expertise increases the chance that this will be the case.
Table 2: 2013 QAI ratings across the Afghanistan program
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Relevance Effectiveness
Ratings of 1 and 2
Efficiency
Ratings of 3
M&E
Ratings of 4
Sustainability
Gender
equality
Ratings of 5 and 6
Five of the 13 investments did not make an adequate contribution to improving gender equality
in Afghanistan in 2013. The two investments that rated most poorly against this criterion relate to
infrastructure in Uruzgan, where ultra-conservative attitudes disallow women from participating in
manual labour outside the home. DFAT is working with both initiatives to maximise the limited
opportunities that exist, including ensuring that women are involved in determining infrastructure
priorities. Of the remaining initiatives that did not perform satisfactorily, only the ARTF will
continue through next year, and Australia is already working to improve its performance on
gender, including by being a member of the ARTF Gender Working Group.
Performance of key delivery partners
Multilateral Organisations
Australia delivers approximately 65 per cent of its development assistance to Afghanistan
through multilateral partners, with the majority through the World Bank-administered ARTF
(discussed below). In a crowded donor environment, with high levels of security and fiduciary risk,
multilateral organisations helped Australia avoid duplication, maximise efforts, pool risk and
minimise administrative costs with other donors.51 The primary challenge is results reporting, as
multilateral organisations do not disaggregate by donor and do not necessarily collect data that
Australia wants. In coordination with other partners, Australia can influence multilateral
organisations to improve program performance and results reporting, but this depends in part on
the size of our aid contribution compared to others. Australian engagement in multilateral
51 World
Bank, World Development Report: Conflict, Security and Development, Washington D.C., 2011.
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
11
governance mechanisms can also enable us to gain increased partner government access, and
strengthen our donor profile with other development partners.
The Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF)
In 2013-14, Australia provided $62.5 million to the World Bank-administered ARTF. The ARTF
pools donor resources and disburses them according to jointly agreed objectives and predefined fiduciary controls. It fully aligns with the Afghanistan National Development Strategy
and supports 13 National Priority Programs across education, agriculture, rural development,
governance, human resource development, infrastructure and security. By contributing to the
ARTF, Australia meets its international commitment to channel 50 per cent of its aid through
Afghan Government systems. Australia’s contributions to the ARTF are non-preferenced.52
Australia’s engagement in ARTF governance mechanisms enables Australia, in coordination with
other donors, to engage in high-level policy dialogue with the Afghan Government on
progressing important economic, legislative and other reforms. One mechanism is the ARTF’s
Incentive Program that assesses and rewards the Afghan Government’s performance against
agreed financial and fiduciary reforms. Australia is on the Incentive Program Working Group, an
advisory body that monitors achievement of reform benchmarks with the Afghan Government.
The ARTF’s recurrent funding mechanism contributed to strong results across Afghanistan,
including in most of Australia’s focus sectors (excluding humanitarian action). For example:
›
In education, the ARTF’s Second Education Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP II)
increased enrolments in grades 1 to 12 from 6.3 million in 2008 to 7.7 million in 2013
(including 2.9 million girls), provided training to over 180,000 teachers, and awarded 3500
scholarships to women enrolled in teacher training colleges.53
›
In rural development, the ARTF’s National Solidarity Program established more than 30,000
Community Development Councils, which in turn undertook over 53,000 sub-projects.54
›
In governance, the ARTF’s Public Financial Management Reform Project (PFMRP II) and
Capacity Building for Results Program trained 215 public servants.55
The ARTF is the primary mechanism through which Australia supports the Afghan Government
to achieve its own development goals and transition to self-reliance. Australia’s bilateral
programming cannot match the ARTF’s investment to outcome ratio. However, the sheer scale
of the national ARTF programs means that they do not always match the quality of smaller,
discrete, localised Australian bilateral initiatives, which are not as heavily reliant on or
supportive of Afghan Government systems. For example, EQUIP II, which works through the
Ministry of Education, requires improvements in monitoring and quality assurance of school
construction quality and safety, implementation of independent monitoring, strengthened
procurement processes, and improved coordination between the World Bank and the Ministry of
Education. Australia is supporting an EQUIP II evaluation to strengthen these areas.
By choosing to maximise Australia’s investment by funding the ARTF we accept more limited
control and oversight afforded to individual donors—it would be impossible for the World Bank
52 Analysis
has shown that directing funding to specific sectors or provinces reduces the effectiveness of multi-donor trust
funds. For example, see Scanteam, Flexibility in the Face of Fragility: Programmatic Multi-donor Trust Funds in Fragile and
Conflict-Affected Situations, Oslo, 2010.
53 World Bank, Implementation Status and Results report; Afghanistan Second EQUIP, 2013.
54 Abdul Raouf Zia [ed], Country update: the World Bank Group in Afghanistan, Washington DC, 2014.
55 World Bank, Implementation Status & Results; Afghanistan Public Financial Management Reform Project Phase II, 2014.
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
12
to meet each donor’s requirements regarding implementation, oversight and performance
monitoring. However, through a best-practice ARTF Strategy Coordination mechanism, Australia
effectively influences the Bank to improve ARTF performance by coordinating messages with
other donors. For example, alongside other donors, we continue to advocate that the Bank
identify results within defined and regular timeframes, provide consistent evidence of outcomes
achieved against clearly identified baselines and targets, report against gender targets and
provided sex disaggregated data for all activities, and improve sustainability. As a result, the
World Bank has started to make appropriate improvements.
Non-Governmental Organisations
International non-government organisations implemented some of Australia’s key investments in
service delivery, agriculture and EVAW in 2013-14, targeting communities that the Afghan
Government does not have the capacity to adequately service. The majority of the implementing
NGOs were Australian. NGOs can adapt to changing circumstances and emerging priorities, which
enhances their effectiveness. Furthermore, many NGO partners demonstrated capacity to
innovatively manage and monitor their projects in the challenging security environment. For
example, Save the Children employed community-based remote monitoring and development
teams and The Asia Foundation recruited joint female-male monitoring and evaluation officers to
track the progress of the Strengthened Access to Justice for Women Affected by Violence
program. Australia gained reputational benefits through these programs in 2013-14.
Nonetheless, administration and risk management of NGO programs can be time consuming and
not always proportional to the level of investment. Ensuring sustainability is a challenge, as
handing over activities to the Afghan Government on completion of Australia’s funding depends
on linking NGO activity priorities to NPP priorities or Australian budget capacity to absorb the
programs, particularly in areas of less priority for the Afghan Government, such as EVAW.
Managing Contractors
Australia established the Development Assistance Facility for Afghanistan (DAFA) to manage a
number of projects in key sectors, including public financial management, the Australia Awards
program, MAEPA and support to the agricultural sector. Using DAFA as a delivery mechanism
provides flexibility and responsiveness. Attribution and influence are possible because Australia
fully owns and directs the initiatives. Australia also uses these achievements to influence policy
dialogue with other donors and the Afghan Government. For example, successes in the DAFA-run
PFM initiative allowed Australia to advocate improving the ARTF program.
Nonetheless, managing DAFA has been highly resource intensive in both Canberra and our
Embassy in Kabul. High levels of oversight and high operational and security costs mean with a
decreasing number of programs, DAFA no longer demonstrates the value for money originally
intended. In light of these challenges, DAFA will close by the end of 2014, and all existing
projects will be finalised or managed directly through other implementing partners.56 A review of
DAFA in September 2014 will examine the strengths and weaknesses of capacity building
approaches used across the Facility to provide lessons for the broader Australian aid program.
DFAT will engage a new contractor to implement the Australia Awards in South and West Asia program in early 2015.
International Relief and Development will implement the PFM program. MAEPA will not continue.
56
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
13
Australian Government Agencies
Other Australian Government agencies delivered almost seven per cent of Australian aid in
Afghanistan in 2013-14. DFAT continues to engage closely with other agencies on Afghanistan.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet hosts a regular Afghanistan—Pakistan
Steering Committee meeting attended by agency heads, and an Afghanistan—Pakistan Task
Force meeting at Senior Executive Service Band 1 level. DFAT hosts working level interdepartmental committee meetings and provides advice to ministers and Cabinet.
Assistance delivered through the Australian Civilian Corps and other Government agencies
Australian Civilian Corps (ACC): On 18 June 2012, the Governments of Australia and the United
States of America signed a Memorandum of Cooperation under which Australia agreed to
provide three experienced lawyers to mentor and design and deliver training for Afghanistan
defence lawyers at the Justice Centre in Parwan. The Justice Advisers helped improve case
management systems and court administration. Their efforts supported and improved access to
due process and the rule of law for Afghanistan detainees. A rising trend of acquittal rates in
primary and appellate courts indicated significant improvement in the ability of Afghanistan
defence counsels’ to present and argue cases. The mission ended on 10 April 2014.
Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP): Throughout 2013-14, DIBP officers
assisted in the development of the migration management and border security capacities of
Afghanistan. DIBP worked with Afghan Ministries, and the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) to improve the integrity, efficiency and technical processes of Afghan passport
issuing arrangements. The Afghanistan Passport Issuance System—Afghanistan Visa Issuance
System ensures Afghan passports have higher integrity measures and meets International Civil
Aviation Organisation standards. DIBP also engaged IOM to work with the Afghan Ministry of
Refugees and Repatriation on the development of migration policy.
Under the auspices of the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding on Migration and
Humanitarian Cooperation between Australia, Afghanistan and the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees, Australia continues to support capacity building and humanitarian
activities to stabilise communities. In 2013-14, DIBP agreed to fund NGOs and international
organisations to implement projects that support internally displaced communities and Afghan
nationals returning to Afghanistan.
Australian Federal Police (AFP): In July 2013, the AFP had 14 officers deployed to Afghanistan.
All officers were located in Kabul. Six officers provided training to Afghan National Police
personnel at the Kabul Training College and the Kabul Central Training College. Two officers
undertook advisory roles with the NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan. An AFP Executive Level
officer was the Senior Police Advisor within the Commander International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) Police Advisory Cell (CPAC). Another AFP Senior Executive officer was positioned
within the International Police Coordination Board Secretariat (IPCBS). By September 2013, AFP
numbers had reduced to four. These officers maintained strategic positions within CPAC and the
IPCBS. On 9 January 2014, the AFP withdrew entirely from Afghanistan.
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
14
Key risks
Table 3: Management of key risks to achieving objectives
Key risks
What actions were taken to manage the risks
over the past year?
› Prioritised the safety of Australian officials
› Reviewed and strengthened security
settings
› Diversified expenditure to assist with risk
management in the challenging
environment
What further actions will be taken to
manage the risks in the coming year?
› Continue to monitor the security
situation and update security
protocols if needed
›
Re-design program as necessary
should the security situation
deteriorate
The new Government
does not constructively
engage with the
development agenda or
the international
community
›
Delivered funding to the Afghan
government through multilateral
organisations to ensure fiduciary
compliance
Played an active role through TMAF in
monitoring Afghan government progress
against commitments
›
Corruption and fraud
result in the loss of public
funds and adversely
impact development
outcomes
›
›
Upheld a zero-tolerance approach to fraud
Investigated all allegations and secured
the recovery of funds
Complied with DFAT and Commonwealth
anti-corruption requirements in contracts
Monitored Afghanistan’s progress on anticorruption and governance reforms
through the TMAF
Improved monitoring and evaluation to
mitigate against corruption
Worked through trusted partners
›
Work with the international
community to engage the Afghan
Government early on the
importance of reforms to ensure
ongoing assistance
Consider re-designing program if the
new Government does not agree to
continue reforms
Continue current actions
The security situation
deteriorates to the point
that Australian officials
and/or major
implementing partners
withdraw from
Afghanistan
›
›
›
›
›
›
Management Responses
To support the delivery of Australia’s aid program in Afghanistan in 2014-15, DFAT will:
›
Extend the strategic framework that underpinned the delivery of good outcomes in 2013-14.
DFAT will produce a 2015-2018 Aid Investment Plan (AIP) and Performance Assessment
Framework. While the previous strategy only covered two-years, the consolidation of the
program and the adaptation of our existing activities to the transition context now allow the
Afghanistan program to adopt a longer-term outlook.
›
Increase the sustainability of Australia’s bilateral activities by ensuring that they all align with
the Afghan Government’s NPPs.
›
Enhance mutual accountability and policy dialogue on development issues with the Afghan
Government by developing Joint Financing Agreements for our on-going programs.
›
Continue to work with our partners, including the World Bank, to improve monitoring and
evaluation of all our activities.
›
Embed women’s empowerment and address gender issues throughout implementation in
target bilateral activities, identified in the AIP and measured by Aid Quality gender ratings.
›
Continue actively participating in key Afghan-donor forums, including the ‘5+3+3 donor
group’, the Oversight Coordination Board on Afghan National Security Forces Sustainment,
the NATO Summit in Wales in September 2014, the London Ministerial Conference in
November 2014, and the Kabul Senior Officials Meeting in 2015.
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
15
Annex A: Progress in addressing 2012-13 management responses
Management consequences identified in 2012-13 APPR
Rating
Progress made in 2013-14
Implement the 2013-14 Afghanistan Country Program Strategy
Achieved
›
›
›
Program strategy published on DFAT website on 4 February 2014
Performance Assessment Framework approved by FAS in October 2013
Australian aid focuses on governance, rural and agricultural development and education, with
gender as a cross-cutting theme, and humanitarian response as ongoing component
Reduce fragmentation across the aid program by moving from small-scale, short-term
initiatives to larger, multi-year programs
Achieved
›
›
Number of initiatives in Afghanistan aid program reduced from 21 to 12
Only four programs continue in Uruzgan, with three finishing by the end of 2014
Continue to improve M&E to inform decisions to reshape or end under-performing
initiatives
Partly
achieved
›
In Uruzgan, Australia’s implementing partners piloted innovative remote monitoring techniques,
including the Children of Uruzgan Education Program’s monitoring system using communitybased remote monitoring and development teams; and UNOPS and UNDP using GPS tagging on
the road building/maintenance initiatives
Funded The Asia Foundation’s Survey of the Afghan People (alongside DFID and USAID): the only
longitudinal study of Afghan people and the most comprehensive and consistent barometer of
public opinion in Afghanistan
Reporting through multilateral partners continues to be a challenge as Australia has little control
over the timing, content or quality of results
›
›
Contribute to broader international thinking on Afghanistan by funding research and
analysis
Achieved
›
›
›
Continue to play an active role in key Afghan-donor forums on implementation of TMAF
commitments
Achieved
›
›
›
›
›
›
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
Research through Chatham House (through our support of the “Opportunity in Crisis” program)
has been well targeted
Chatham House has been responsive to our requests for more information (including through
direct engagement with the Kabul Embassy)
Reports have allowed Australia to contribute to substantial and progressive global thinking on
Afghanistan
Australia has continued to be active in a number of key Afghan-donors forums, including
participating in the TMAF Senior Officials Meeting on 3 July 2013, and the Joint Coordination
and Monitoring Board (JCMB) meeting on 23 January 2014
Australia was an active member of Kabul-based TMAF coordination groups through the 5+3+3 (a
group of key donors in Afghanistan), which met frequently at the ambassador and working levels
to review the achievement of TMAF reforms and coordinate engagement with the Afghan
Government
DFAT Canberra has also participated in 5+3 meetings between Capitals, coordinating policy
direction and messaging
Following the JCMB meeting, Australia led a process on identifying “lessons learnt” with other
donors and UNAMA, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank
Australia is coordinating with other key donors and the Afghan Government to prepare for the
Ministerial-level Conference in London in November 2014
Australia participated in all International Contact Group meetings of Special Representatives for
Afghanistan and Pakistan, which facilitated strategic level discussion among donors and with
the Government of Afghanistan.
16
Enhance engagement with the World Bank to progress the broader ARTF reform agenda
Achieved
›
›
›
›
Continue to prioritise the security of Australian personnel working in-country
Achieved
›
›
›
Throughout 2013, the Australian Embassy in Kabul increased and improved the depth and
consistency of our engagement with the World Bank on the ARTF reform Agenda via both active
participation on the ARTF Strategy Group and through on-going advocacy and engagement in the
5+3+3.
Because of Australia’s advocacy alongside other donors, the World Bank released a Results
Framework, improved transparency, and access to results information. This has included the
Bank reporting on innovative remote monitoring tools they are using to collect accurate timesensitive data on key projects.
In the Incentive Program Working Group, Australia has contributed to decision-making regarding
disbursement of ARTF incentive funds, encouraging and rewarding the Afghan Government’s
progress on economic and structural reforms. Following the most recent review in May 2014,
donors (including Australia) agreed that the IP should disburse US$54.1 million to the Afghan
Government (of a possible US$182 million).
Australia’s bilateral Public Financial Management (PFM) program focuses on improving core
development budget processes in service delivery line ministries supported by ARTF projects,
which are responsible for 40 per cent of Afghanistan’s national development budget: Education,
Public Health, Public Works and Agriculture
DFAT has maintained its high-level of resourcing to ensure the security of Australian personnel
working in-country
DFAT reviewed, updated and implemented new security protocols following attacks in Kabul that
targeted foreigners
Staff numbers in Afghanistan decreased when Australian civilian agencies withdrew from Uruzgan
and staff numbers in Kabul have reduced to the minimum required to achieve operational
outcomes.
 Achieved. Significant progress has been made in addressing the issue
 Partly achieved. Some progress has been made in addressing the issue, but the issue has not been resolved
 Not achieved. Progress in addressing the issue has been significantly below expectations
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
17
Gender equality
Sustainability
Monitoring and
Evaluation
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Relevance
QAI year
Investment name
Approved budget
and duration
Annex B: Quality at Implementation ratings
$3.7m
2008-2017
2013
3
3
3
4
3
4
2012
3
2
2
2
2
3
$275m
2009-2017
2013
6
5
5
4
4
3
2012
6
4
5
3
3
3
$7.5 m
2010-2017
2013
5
4
5
4
3
3
2012
5
4
4
3
3
3
$76m
2011-2015
2013
5
4
3
3
3
3
2012
5
3
3
3
3
4
$5.7m
2011-2015
2013
6
5
5
6
4
5
2012
6
5
5
5
5
5
Support to Mine Action in Afghanistan
$20m
2011-2015
2013
6
6
5
5
5
4
2012
6
5
4
4
4
4
Uruzgan Health & Education Program
$36.2m
2011-2015
2013
6
5
4
5
4
5
2012
6
4
3
4
4
5
$6.8m
2011-2015
2013
5
5
5
4
4
5
2012
5
5
5
4
4
4
$22.1m
2011-2016
2013
6
5
4
4
4
5
2012
6
4
4
4
4
4
$6m
2011-2014
2013
5
4
4
3
4
2
4
1
2
3
3
2
Scholarships Afghanistan
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund
Strengthening Community-Level Service Delivery
DAFA Phase III
CARE - Empowerment through Education
Afghanistan Health Services Program
Electoral Assistance in Afghanistan
UNDP NABDP for Uruzgan province
2012
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
18
Infrastructure
$27.7m
2011-2017
2013
ACIAR Afghanistan Agricultural Research Portfolio
$17.7m
2012-2017
2013
$24m
2012-2016
World Food Programme in Afghanistan in 2012 & 2013
5
4
3
3
2
2
6
5
4
5
5
4
2013
6
5
4
4
5
4
2012
6
5
5
5
4
4
2012
2012
Definitions of rating scale:
Satisfactory (4, 5 and 6)
 = 6 = Very high quality
 = 5 = Good quality
 = 4 = Adequate quality, needs some work
Less than satisfactory (1, 2 and 3)
 = 3 = Less than adequate quality; needs significant work
 = 2 = Poor quality; needs major work to improve
 = 1 = Very poor quality; needs major overhaul
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
19
Annex C: Evaluation and Review Pipeline Planning
List of evaluations completed in the reporting period
Name of Investment
Aidworks
number
Name of evaluation
Date finalised
Date Evaluation report
Uploaded into Aidworks
ACIAR Afghanistan Agricultural
Research Portfolio
Uruzgan Health & Education
Program
Malaysia Australia Education
Project for Afghanistan
INK459
2013
Afghan Capacity for Media and
Elections
INK032
Afghan Capacity for Media and
Elections
INK032
ACIAR Wheat and Maize
projects in Afghanistan
Children of Uruzgan
Mid-Term Review
Malaysia Australia
Education Project for
Afghanistan – Evaluation
Report
Afghanistan Capacity For
Media And Elections - First
Mid-term Review
Afghanistan Capacity For
Media And Elections Second Mid-term Review
INJ857
INJ768
Published on website
N/A
Date Management
response uploaded
into Aidworks
N/A
Sep 2013
Mar 2014
Apr 2014
Intend to publish
Feb 2014
May 2014
May 2014
No
Feb 2014
July 2014
N/A
No
July 2014
July 2014
N/A
No
Published on ACIAR website
List of evaluations planned in the next 12 months
Name of Investment
Support to Mine Action in
Afghanistan
Ending Violence Against Women
Program
Aidworks number
INJ821
INK880
Type of evaluation
Partner led and managed. DFAT
contributed to Terms of Reference.
DFAT-led Management Review
DAFA Phase III
INJ768
Independent Completion Review
Enhancing Legal and Electoral
Capacities for Tomorrow Phase II
INK032
Independent Evaluation
Public Outreach for Democracy and
Elections
INK032
Independent Review
Purpose of evaluation
Assess the effectiveness of the investment to inform
ongoing management
Assess whether the EVAW Program is on track to
achieve intended targets and to provide
management with options to inform decisions
regarding the most effective use of the remaining
budget allocation
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of different
capacity building approaches under DAFA III
UNDP-drafted independent evaluation of the second
phase of its program of support to the Afghanistan
Independent Electoral Commission
Desktop evaluation of program
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
Expected completion date
31 December 2014
25 September 2014
31 December 2014
August 2014
October 2014
20
Annex D: Performance Benchmarks 2014 -15
Aid objective
2014-15 benchmark
Rationale for selecting this performance benchmark
Enhancing basic service delivery in health
and education
Maintain 2,000 students (80 per cent of
which are girls) enrolled in primary-level
community education classes.
This benchmark aligns with the Australian Government’s investment priorities including a) education and
health; and b) gender equality and empowering women and girls, as well as Afghanistan’s National
Education Strategic Plan. This benchmark also recognises the importance of capabilities in literacy,
numeracy, and vocational skills for improving the status and opportunities for women and girls. To
achieve this DFAT is working with trusted civil society organisations that can operate in areas the Afghan
Government cannot reach.
Supporting rural development and livelihoods
1300 persons trained in strategies to improve
livelihoods and 1000 farmers using better
agricultural technologies
Australia will support the Afghan Government’s National Priority Program on National Comprehensive
Agriculture Production & Market Development, which aims to improve agriculture production and
productivity, rural livelihoods, and contribute to achieving food security and rural development. This
benchmark represents results of both programs managed through the Australian Centre for International
Agricultural Research and the first year of the community resilience scheme, Australia’s flagship program
in the agriculture sector. As the program is commencing, there is no baseline for this benchmark.
Finalise construction of 58 kilometres and
maintenance of an additional 90 kilometres
of rural roads in Uruzgan
Australia will continue to construct and maintain roads in Uruzgan. This aligns with the Afghan
Government’s NPP of a National Rural Access Program that promotes equitable economic growth by
providing year-round access to basic services and facilities in rural Afghanistan. This performance
benchmark represents currently approved and contracted activities being implemented solely with
Australian funding. Construction commenced in 2013-14, but no works have been finalised.
70% of civil servants trained in public sector
management have improved their work
practices and ability to perform their job.
Successive analysis have found that, along with corruption and political will, capacity of government staff
and robustness of their budgeting and other financial processes are fundamental constraints to public
service delivery and accountability/ transparency in Afghanistan. Improving these processes is critical to
safeguarding Australia’s on-budget contributions to the Afghan Government, and fills a gap in existing
donor assistance. Performance against this benchmark will be measured through specific indicators
identified at program inception, covering timeliness and quality of procurement, project design,
accounting and financial administration processes. There is no baseline for this benchmark as
assessment of training outcomes commences in 2014-15.
1,500 women and girl survivors of violence
receive services
Supporting Afghan women and girls is a key priority for Australia in Afghanistan. This benchmark aligns
with and reflects mutual commitments by both the Australian and Afghan governments to address
violence against women (VAW). Increases in the number of women and girls who access of services
indicates increased women’s empowerment and positive change in community attitudes toward VAW and
women’s rights. The high levels of VAW (87.2 per cent57), low levels of current service provision and
operational challenges for those providing services make this target sufficiently ambitious given current
Australian investment to the sector. In 2013-14, 1,397 women and girl survivors of violence received
services through Australian support, and this is expected to increase to 1,500 in 2014-15.
Improving governance and the effectiveness
of the Afghan Government
57
Global Rights: Partners for Justice, Living with Violence: A National Report on Domestic Abuse in Afghanistan, Global Rights, Washington DC, 2008, p. 1.
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
21
Management effectiveness and supporting
the Afghan Government’s transition to selfreliance, including strengthening TMAF as a
mechanism for supporting economic growth
and development
The effectiveness of TMAF mechanisms in
monitoring progress against mutual
commitments, supporting the Afghan
Government’s reform efforts, and
coordinating donor efforts is strengthened
from Australia’s participation in the 5+3
group.
The Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework (TMAF) is the key mechanism through which the Afghan
Government and donors agree mutual commitments for key political, governance and human rights
reforms; development priorities, and approaches to the provision of aid in Afghanistan. A TMAF donor
group has been formed, and Australia’s membership of this donor group enables us to participate in the
assessment of Afghan Government and donors’ progress towards their TMAF commitments, and
discussions on improving aid coordination and mutual accountability for Afghanistan’s development. In
accordance with the TMAF and to support the Afghan Government to achieve its own development goals
and transition to self-reliance, Australia provides 50 per cent of its aid on-budget. This on-budget support
is channelled through commitments to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, which fully aligns with
the Afghanistan National Development Strategy and supports 13 Afghan National Priority Programs
across agriculture and rural development, governance, human resource development, infrastructure, and
security.
The Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund
(ARTF) performs effectively across
indicators for program and operational
effectiveness, alignment with the Afghan
Government’s National Priority Programs,
and linkages to donor and Afghan
Government mutual accountability
commitments. [As Australia’s ARTF support
comprised 6.8% of total donor
contributions to the fund for 2013, this
benchmark reflects the effectiveness of all
donor contributions to the ARTF.
Assessment of Australia’s impact on the
ARTF’s performance and accountability for
results must be proportionate to the scale
of our contribution.]
Australia delivers 50 per cent of our aid to Afghanistan through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust
Fund (ARTF). The ARTF provides on-budget support to the Afghan Government to enable it to progress its
development goals and National Priority Programs such as education, agriculture and rural development,
governance, human resource development and infrastructure. Australia and other donors use the ARTF
Scorecard to assess the effectiveness and results of all aid delivered through the fund. This includes
program and operational effectiveness, alignment with the Afghan Government’s National Priority
Programs, and linkages to donor and Afghan Government mutual accountability commitments. In 2013,
of the 24 ARTF Scorecard indicators for which data is collected, the ARTF was rated ‘on-track’ for 17
indicators; ‘slight delays’ for 5 indicators; and ‘off-track’ for two indicators.
Aid Program Performance Report 2013-14
22