12.2007 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Description of Afghanistan’s administrative structure: Provinces (34), districts (361), cities and villages; majority of the estimated 24 million inhabitants resides in rural areas ("UNHCR's Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Afghan Asylum-Seekers") [ID 22023]

"The country is divided into 34 provinces – with two new provinces, Panjshir and Daikundi created in 2004 – comprising 361 districts,4 administered as follows:

• Provinces are the largest administrative units, each headed by a Governor (Waali), who is generally appointed by the President. Governors report to the Minister of Interior. At present, the only female Governor is the Governor of Bamyan, Mrs. Habiba Surabi.
• Cities (mainly provincial capitals and urban areas) are administrative units headed by mayors and each consisting of several municipal wards, which in turn are headed by the municipal ward mayor. Mayors of major cities are currently appointed by the President but will ultimately be elected in accordance with the electoral and municipal law.
• Districts (Woluswali) are decentralized administrative units within a province – mainly in the rural areas, headed by district administrators. District Governors are nominated by the Provincial Governors and appointed by the Minister of Interior. Pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 36, 34 provinces and 361 districts and municipal wards – including district centres without wards – are designated as electoral constituencies.
• Villages form the basic communities within rural districts, whilst guzars (neighbourhoods) are sub-divisions of nahiyas (municipal wards).

Exact figures are not available, but estimates put the national population at 24 million, the majority of which resides in rural areas (71.2 percent). Some 28.8 percent are living in urban areas and the population growth rate is estimated to be 2.5 percent per year. Before the conflict, an estimated 80 to 85 percent of the Afghan population was believed to depend directly or indirectly on agriculture, a feature that may now be changing due to movements to urban areas.7 About four million registered Afghans still live abroad, the majority in the neighbouring countries of Iran (920,000)8 and Pakistan (2.15 million)."

Document(s): Open document

26.11.2004 - Source: UN General Assembly

Report focused on political developments, security situation (disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, police and justice reform) human rights situation, health and nutrition, voluntary repatriation and reintegration ("Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security - Emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan A/59/581 S/2004/925") [#27496],  [ID 423]

"45. The underlying strategy of United Nations relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts since the signing of the Bonn Agreement has been to move from the direct implementation of projects to supporting the Government’s own development plans. While the Afghan Government has a coherent vision for its post-war reconstruction, its capacity remains weak in terms of public administration, institutions and ability to extend its development plans to provincial governments as well as to deliver essential public services. Many provincial governments remain semi-autonomous in relation to the central Government, particularly with regard to the remittance of tax revenue and the implementation of national laws at the provincial level. Entrenched interests in the provinces have also been able to capture parts of the provincial governments and impede reform. The uncertain security situation and the unchecked development of a parallel and illicit narco-economy exacerbate this weakness and seriously challenge further development, both economic and institutional."

Document(s): Open document

19.03.2004 - Source: UN General Assembly

Reform of Ministry of Defense partially completed; prevalence of parallel military structures continues ("The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security A/58/742–S/2004/230") [#20724],  [ID 424]

"[...] 20. Further progress has been made in the reforms of principal ministries but it is not enough progress after two years. The first two phases of the reform of the Ministry of Defence have been completed, as appointments have been made to 22 of the top cadre and 125 director-level positions. The next stage commenced with the identification of candidates for the 700 third-tier positions. However, the prevalence of parallel military structures with resources to sustain themselves continues to impede the establishment of the national security forces. Dismantling the parallel structures will depend on successful disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, and the building of a national army and police must be accelerated to fill the security vacuum. [...]"

Document(s): Open document
Open document

15.10.2003 - Source: Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit

Significant progress made in reactivating the basic administrative system, but the new generation of staff that does not know the rules ("How Government Works in Afghanistan: A Study of Sub-National Administration") [#17759],  [ID 425]

"Significant progress has been made in reactivating the basic administrative system and setting the stage for future improvements in functional responsibilities and performance. Nevertheless, there are immense risks to the achievement of gains in these areas in the provinces and districts, and in securing the level of service delivery throughout the country that the government is targeting.
A new generation of staff that does not know the rules The groups of staff at the provincial and district levels who have first hand experience of the system in operation are ageing and are about to retire. In all the provinces and districts visited for this study, there was virtually no written guidance on procedures – rules of business, personnel regulations, procurement guidelines, etc. In a few cases staff had copies of legislation, or manuals written many years ago, but nothing reflecting current procedures. Learning from older staff is the only option for newer hires who wish to understand appropriate procedures. Moreover, for those appointed by patronage, they may not be interested in making even that effort. If this older generation leaves before the written rules are in place and before the younger staff have been trained, the practical knowledge of how to operate this cumbersome but essentially sound system will be lost."

Document(s): Open document

13.03.2003 - Source: Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit

Preliminary assessment of administration finds that state administration has not completely collapsed, administrative laws are sound, well understood and adhered to ("Assessing subnational administration in Afghanistan: Early observations and recommendations for action") [#13568],  [ID 426]

Document(s): Open document

03.2003 - Source: Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit

Analysis of relationship between central administration and province, district and municipal level (tax and budget, health, education, appointment of staff) ("A Guide to Government Functioning Outside of Kabul; Early observations based on missions to Herat and Faryab") [#13569],  [ID 427]

Document(s): Open document

06.12.2002 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Structure of administration ("Lageanalyse Herbst 2002 (German)") [#10325],  [ID 428]

"Offiziell ist Afghanistan in dreissig Provinzen (welajat) eingeteilt: Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor, Hilmend, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Uruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-i Pol, Takhar, Wardak, Zabul. Die Provinzen sind ihrer-seits wieder in zahlreiche Distrikte (uluswali) unterteilt. In Wirklichkeit zerfällt das Land in sechs Haupteinflusszonen. Die Region Kabul wird von der Zentralregierung verwaltet, wäh-rend die Sicherheit von den internationalen Truppen aufrechterhalten wird. Die Bevölkerung der paschtunischen Stammeszonen im Osten und Süden bewahrt sich ihre Autonomie und betrachtet die Regierung mit Misstrauen. Der Nordwesten, rund um Herat, wird von Ismael Khan beherrscht, einem Hauptkommandanten des Widerstands gegen die sowjetische Be-setzung. Der Norden untersteht der Herrschaft von Abdul Rashid Dostum, dem Chef der ehemals prokommunistischen Usbeken-Miliz. Das Zentrum liegt im Einflussbereich der Ha-zara, die mehr oder weniger lose unter dem Banner der Hizb-i Wahdat vereinigt sind. Der Nordosten schliesslich wird dominiert von den Getreuen von Ahmad Shah Massoud, der im September 2001 ermordet wurde."

Document(s): Open document