Priority 5. Help advance Afghanistan’s capacity for democratic governance by contributing to effective, accountable public institutions and electoral processes.

Democratic governance is a priority shared by Canada and partner contributors in Afghanistan, and by Afghanistan’s elected government and parliament. This means governance that is transparent, effective and accountable. And it means conducting elections that are seen by Afghans as legitimate.

Canadian Objective for 2011: By 2011, we expect that national, provincial and local institutions, particularly in Kandahar province, will exhibit an increasing capacity for democratic governance in the deliberation and delivery of public programs and services, and in carrying out democratic elections.

Afghans are to hold presidential and provincial council elections in 2009, followed by parliamentary and district council elections in 2010. These are only the second set of elections in Afghanistan since the removal of the Taliban regime from power in 2001, and together they will mark a crucial milestone in the country’s democratic history. Canadians are working to support the conduct of these elections.

During the quarter, voter registration was carried out with considerable success in northern, eastern and central regions of Afghanistan. Preparations were meanwhile underway for voter registration to start in the south, including Kandahar, in January 2009. Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) is leading the process, and international assistance is coordinated through the UN Development Programme. Canada is one of five donor countries on the steering committee overseeing this international support.

In Kandahar, Canadian civilians and military personnel have aided voter registration and other election preparations, including public education about the elections. Among other activities, Canadians have mentored ANSF units in planning and conducting security operations to protect voter safety and to police polling stations. In Kabul and Kandahar, Canadian diplomats have maintained regular conversations with the Government of Afghanistan, the IEC, the Speaker of the National Assembly, and senior tribal and provincial officials—including the governor and police chief of Kandahar—to work for the successful completion of the elections.

Risks and uncertainties remained, and expectations during the quarter were tempered by two facts. First, violent insecurity prevailed in much of the south, Kandahar included, and threatened to depress voter registration and election-day turnout. Second, there was no consensus by year-end among Afghan political leaders (and no decision by the IEC) on the date to be fixed for the presidential election. There were advocates for spring, summer and fall balloting, with opinions dividing partly on different readings of the Afghan Constitution. These constitutional arguments also reflected underlying rivalries common in democratic politics.

In other realms of governance, Canada was contributing to Afghan institution building. To cite one example, the Canadian Governance Support Office in Kabul became operational, placing Canadian civilian experts in key Afghan ministries to advise Afghan counterparts on policy making and implementation. By the end of the quarter, Canadians were serving with the IEC and in ministries including Agriculture, Education, and Energy and Water, and Canadians had been recruited to serve in the Ministry of the Interior and the Office of the Chief Economic Advisor to the President. In Kandahar, Canada has helped finance staffing for the provincial governor’s office to strengthen local delivery of national programs.