OVERVIEW

The Technical Assistance to the Afghan Ministry of Public Works (MPW) project was a component of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Road Sector Sustainability Program, assisting the Afghan government to sustainably manage the country’s road network. This was primarily accomplished through three new institutions – a semi-autonomous Road Authority to manage road maintenance and development, a semi-autonomous Road Fund to provide sustainable financing, and a Transportation Institute to train and build the capacity of Afghan professionals to plan, analyze, and manage the road sector.

The planning, building, and maintenance of transportation infrastructure is essential to Afghanistan’s economic growth, integration into the regional economy, and continued transition to self-reliance from donor assistance. USAID provided staff from the MPW with the technical knowledge and skills needed to strengthen operations and maintenance capacity and improve transportation infrastructure management.

The USAID Road Sector Sustainability Program included assistance for emergency road repair and capacity-building for the MPW staff and the proposed three new institutions.

ACTIVITIES

• Assessed the organizational operations, practices, and management of the MPW
• Developed a five-year interim funding plan and a 10-year prioritized funding plan for road maintenance
• Conducted in-depth studies and recommended institutional models for the proposed Road Authority, Road Fund, and Transportation Institute based on international best practices
• Designed organizational structures and transition plans for the newly reformed MPW and proposed three new institutions to more effectively and sustainably manage the country’s road network
• Assisted the MPW in drafting new legislation to create the Road Authority, Road Fund, and Transportation Institute

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Designed institutional structures and secured the High Economic Council endorsement for reforming the MPW and creating three new road reform institutions – the Afghan Road Authority, the Road Fund, and the Transportation Institute, collectively referred to as the “Road Sector Reform”
• Drafted laws for the Afghan government to create three aforementioned institutional structures
• Developed a transition plan that outlined key processes and requirements to ensure an effective implementation of the Road Sector Reform