OVERVIEW

The Technical Assistance to the Ministry of Public Works project, a component of the USAID Road Sector Sustainability Program, assisted the Afghan government to sustainably manage the country’s road network using 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 to 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 continued transition to self-reliance from donor assistance, economic growth, and integration into the regional economy. USAID provided the ministry 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 ministry staff and the proposed three new institutions.

ACTIVITIES

• Assessed the organizational operations, practices, and management of the ministry
• 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 and in keeping with the Afghan context
• Designed organizational structures and transition plans for the newly reformed ministry and proposed three new institutions Assisted the ministry in drafting new legislation to bring about needed reforms

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Designed institutional structures and secured High Economic Council endorsement for reforming Ministry of Public Works and creating three new road reform institutions - Afghan Road Authority, Road Fund, and 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.