Regional Afghan Municipalities Program for Urban Populations – RC East Monthly Report: January 2011

RAMP UP East is comprised of three distinct components, each tied to a specific goal. Component 1 focuses on capacity building of GIRoA officials at the municipal level, providing on-the-job mentorship, training, and advising to enhance the capacity of municipal officials, managers, and technicians to perform their core municipal management responsibilities. Component 2 supports the GIRoA to provide responsive, effective, and visible municipal service delivery programs. Activities carried out under this component support municipalities in delivering visible, tangible, and desirable services to citizens in the form of municipal service delivery projects. These projects simultaneously serve two purposes: they provide citizens with marked improvements in daily life, and they build capacity with a clear learning-by-doing approach, strengthening the GIRoA's capacity to sustainably deliver services to citizens in the long term. RAMP UP East works in all 14 provincial capitals in the provinces comprising ISAF Regional Command East, excluding Kabul city. The target municipalities include Asadabad (Kunar), Bamiyan (Bamiyan), Charikar (Parwan), Gardez (Paktya), Ghazni (Ghazni), Jalalabad (Nangarhar), Khost (Khost), Mahmud i Raqi (Kapisa), Meydan Shar (Wardak), Panjshir/Panjshir (Panjshir), Pul-e-Alam (Logar), Sharana (Paktika), and Mehterlam (Laghman). Nine of the 14 target municipalities are located within Key Terrain Districts, as defined by the U.S. Government, ISAF, and the GIRoA in the April 2010 Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan. Component 3 supports the GIRoA to improve economic development and revenue generation at the municipal level. Activities implemented under this component directly support the growth of local economic development and strengthen revenue generation, thereby enabling the municipality to finance its public services and operating costs. As RAMP UP East activities under Components 1 and 2 strengthen municipal capacity and service delivery, activities under Component 3 use the developed capacity, service improvements, and infrastructure to facilitate economic development and revenue generation. RAMP UP East has established a strong partnership with the GIRoA, the ISAF, and other stakeholders to achieve its goals. The program has made significant progress in building the capacity of municipal officials, managers, and technicians, and in delivering visible, tangible, and desirable services to citizens. The program's activities have also contributed to the growth of local economic development and revenue generation, enabling municipalities to finance their public services and operating costs. The program's success is evident in the improvements in municipal service delivery, economic development, and revenue generation. The program's activities have also contributed to the strengthening of the GIRoA's capacity to sustainably deliver services to citizens in the long term. RAMP UP East continues to work towards its goals, building on its successes and addressing the challenges that remain.