Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governance (KPG) Project Monthly Progress Report October 2016

The project was awarded to DAI in March 2015 with a budget of $22.6 million. The main purpose of KPG is to support transitional activities in the KP Province that reinforce stability, counter extremism, promote democratic advances, and create opportunities for gender equality and women's empowerment. The project is designed to achieve seven objectives outlined in the KP Government's Strategic Development Partnership Framework (SDPF). These objectives include economic growth and job creation, peace building and rule of law, tangible progress in pro-poor sectors, improved participation and bringing the state closer to the citizen, improved transparency and accountability, enhanced fiscal space for economic and social development, and gender equity. DAI will deliver KPG results by developing complementary packages of assistance that reinforce both the supply and demand side of governance, through four main instruments: grants under contract, programmatic short-term technical assistance, direct distribution of goods and services (DDGS), and training. During the month of October 2016, workplan activities continued at pace. Of the eight active grants approved by USAID, six continued to implement substantial workplan activities. These grants include 'Improving Citizens Right to Information', 'Enhancement of Development Projects Management System', 'Strengthening of the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority', 'Bridging Gaps between Citizens and State', 'Automated Information & Reporting System for Directorate of Information and Public Relation', and 'Strengthening Excise, Taxation & Narcotics Control Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa'. Two new grants were approved, 'Training of District Naib Nazims of KP and Village/Neighborhood Councilors of Peshawar District' and 'Good Governance through Gender Mainstreaming'. The amount pledged to these grants is approximately $1.2 million. KPG expects this figure to rise sharply in the months ahead given the number of concepts and proposals in the pipeline. Highlights from this reporting period of the project include the implementation of training on the Right to Information Act 2013 and Roles and Responsibilities of District members, handover of source CD of software and training imparted for the Enhancement of Development Projects Management System, and completion of field activities for the Strengthening of the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority. The security situation in KP remained volatile and unpredictable during the reporting period. Military operations in FATA continued with mounting casualties on both sides. Security forces remained the most likely target of continuing aggression, and several policemen lost their lives in different targeted killings. Several acts of terror were averted by security forces in the region as they continued to conduct search and strike operations across KP and arrested a number of wanted terrorists. The festival of Muharram remained peaceful, but several protests and demonstrations occurred in Peshawar and other districts of KP against the government on domestic issues, causing road blockage and traffic delays. A major incident occurred in Quetta when suicide terrorists affiliated with Islamic State attacked cadets at a police training college, resulting in the loss of 61 lives and hundreds of injuries.