Afghanistan-development cooperation 2013-2015
The primary objective of the Italian Cooperation in Afghanistan is peace the country and to build state structures, under the undertaking of the international community.
The priority areas defined in the agreement on a strategic partnership signed in the Tokyo conference 2012 include governance at national and local levels, focusing on Herat and western region. Justice, budget support, local elections, public administration, development, (locally, via the creation of a provincial budget. The governance concentration areas include gender equality and the preservation of cultural heritage. In continuity with the financing of international missions to the level of 2012, it is planned to invest 10 million euros on average over the next three years.
Additional areas of focus, provided by the Partnership, are health and gender policies, by improving the population's access to basic health services and also through the support to civil society organizations to work on the condition of women in Afghanistan.
Italian continues the humanitarian aid, in line with the principles of the guidelines for the good humanitarian work.
Part of the Italian aid is channeled through international organizations, particularly the World Bank (ARTF) and the United Nations agencies and programs.
The strategy and resources of Italian Cooperation are focused on essential services (health), rural development, transport infrastructure, strengthening capacity of national institutions and improvement of government, in line with the sectors identified in the long term Agreement of Partnership.
Strengthening local capacity is realized by Herat and Italian universities through specialized training schemes formulated to ensure the sustainability and to transfer of knowledge to local institutions.
The main areas of activity of the Italian Development Cooperation are penal code reform; support to the creation and operation of the Unit for the Elimination of Violence against Women (Evaw) at the Attorney General's offices in Kabul and other provinces with a specific focus on Herat; the availability of free legal advocacy for vulnerable groups, among others.
In line with the Framework Agreement for Development Cooperation and the Long-term Partnership Agreement, signed in January 2012, priority areas for Italy include the economic and rural development, good governance and the rule of law, infrastructure and natural resources.
Italy traditionally collaborates supporting the areas of health and humanitarian aid, as well as horizontal issues such as gender condition and civil society, based on the successful conferences held in Kabul in March 2011 and in Rome in May 2011, and assistance to vulnerable groups.
Over the 32.7 million allocated in 2012, € 29 million were made available in 2013 and about 10 million in the 1st half of 2014, aimed at improving the gender condition, rural development and infrastructure rehabilitation.
The expected results are the improvement of the country's institutional capacity, particularly to the sub-national governance, under an inclusive and participatory approach, the interaction between central and local government bodies and the protection of human rights, especially women , children and vulnerable groups.
Italian Cooperation has supported the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan in since 2001. The development cooperation programs were approved for about 649 million euros, of which approximately 530 million have been disbursed, while the remainder will be paid in the coming years through multi-annual programs.