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

Government capacity in Afghanistan is chronically weak and undermined by widespread corruption. Democratic development and the provision of public services are vulnerable to the conflict between the insurgency and the counter-insurgency. All these factors accentuate the difficulties—and the urgency—of improving the quality of Afghan institutions and contributing to the conduct of credible, inclusive and secure elections in which women and men can participate fully.

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.

Preparations for Afghanistan’s August 20th presidential and provincial council elections proceeded during the quarter. The Electoral Complaints Commission (supported by Canada) began functioning in Kabul and establishing its presence in the provinces. The final list of candidates was published in June, and the official campaign period opened on June 16 with 41 presidential candidates and 3,197 provincial council candidates, including 333 women. Canada confirmed funding for several elections-related projects, mostly aimed at promoting civic education, women’s participation as candidates and voters, and infrastructure improvements.

Insurgent intimidation of the electorate was expected to increase during the run-up to the elections, especially in southern Afghanistan. Canada worked with the United Nations, ISAF and Afghan authorities to ensure the elections could take place in the safest environment possible.

Canada was also pursuing contributions to longer term governance improvements. Through the Canadian Governance Support Office in Kabul, for example, the Canadian technical advisor deployed to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education was instrumental in launching the first round of a new national teacher competency examination.

Two benchmark changes have been made under our governance priority. The reference in the benchmark itself to “key ministries” has been enlarged to “key Afghan government institutions”—recognizing the roles of non-ministry agencies, such as the Independent Directorate for Local Governance, in Afghan governance. The second revision adds as a progress indicator the introduction by Afghan provinces of their own subnational strategic plans for improving security, governance and development. Our 2011 targets are for all 34 provinces to have completed these strategic plans, and for Kandahar to demonstrate progress implementing itsplan.