Budget Summits

One of the projects TX ADT-5 has been working on is teaching the Afghan Government to become reliant on it's own budgeting system to fund the development projects needed to improve their economy and quality of life for the people.  We've hosted two Budget Summits, in conjunction with our counterparts here on FOB Ghazni in Task Force White Eagle, to teach the line directors here in Ghazni how to utilize the GIRoA budget system.  See our Good News Stories below from Budget Summit 1&2 to check out how they went.

Budget Summit 1
Purpose

TX ADT-5 works together with the Department of State, Ghazni Civil Affairs Team, American PRT, Polish PRT, and Polish DDG to bring together provincial line directors of education and agriculture with their corresponding ministers in order to encourage an exchange of information at a “Budget Summit”.

Discussion

TX ADT-5, in partnership, identified the issue that the provincial line directors did not know what their budgets were for operations and development nor did they know how to properly request their money for use.  This has resulted in a dependence on Coalition Forces for any development projects and some requests to cover operation costs while the directors underutilized their own budgets.

Outcome

During and after the presentations, the discussion between the provincial directors and their ministers was heated yet productive.  At the end of the Summit, all parties requested another summit with all ministers and line directors invited in order to continue and expand the current dialogue.  Also, the Director of the Civil Service Institute has offered to provide training for the provincial directors in budget formulation and execution, work plan development and leadership skills, and the Minister of Finance wants to expand this program to the other provinces.

CPT Loren Holland presents hte findings from the Task Force White Eagle Budget Working Group to the Provincial Directors, Ministers from Kabul, and some of their American counterparts.

The Minister of Finance representative argues with the Ghazni Director of Education about securing funds for education development programs.

Budget Summit 2

Purpose

TX ADT-5 works together with the Department of State, Ghazni Civil Affairs Team, American PRT, Polish PRT, and Polish DDG to bring together provincial line directors with their corresponding ministers in order to encourage an exchange of information at a second “Budget Summit”.

Discussion

Coalition  partners identified the issue that the provincial line directors did not know  that their budgets were for operations and development; nor did they know how to properly request their money for use.  TX ADT-5 hosted a first budget summit on 13DEC11 that was so successful the program was expanded to include all Provincial line directors and their corresponding ministers or representatives.

Outcome

The Budget Summit was a success both in helping the provincial directors understand the finance and budgeting process within GIRoA, as well as encouraging dialogue between the provincial directors and their corresponding ministers from Kabul.  It also allowed the Coalition Forces from Task Force White Eagle to present their findings in an open forum to the provincial directors, ministry representatives, and their American counterparts, to include Steve Huete (USDA), Rhonda Reinke (US Treasury), and Elizabeth Royall (IJC). 

 The majority of the presentations and discussion was led by Mr. Mohammad Aqha, Treasury Chief of Finance Ministry.  Mr. Aqha explained the money flow process for GIRoA to the line directors in order to help them utilize their budgets fully before requesting funding from Coalition Forces.  The conference was covered extensively by local media.  Mr. Aqha and the Ministry of Finance plan on taking over the Budget Summits and continuing to educate the line directors in the GIRoA money flow process.

Mr. Mohammad Aqha explains the money flow process for GIRoA to the line directors and Provincial Governor of Ghazni.

Ghazni line directors look at handouts of the slides prepared and make notes.



Afghan national media coverage can be found at: http://ariananews.af/regional/government-is-inattentive-towards-ghazni-reconstruction-projects-governor-of-ghazni/