Objective. The objective of this USAID funded project is to provide long-term technical assistance and support through advisors to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Secretariat of the Inter-ministerial Commission for Energy (ICE).
Background. The organization and human resources of the public electricity sector in Afghanistan are constrained and limited, as is the electrical infrastructure of the country. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (IRoA) and international community have invested millions of dollars in developing and constructing a wide variety of projects to improve the supply of electricity to the Afghan people. One cornerstone of increasing the supply of power to Kabul is the North East Power System (NEPS), with many stakeholders and donors supporting it. To bring together the various ministries that have an impact on the electric power sector, the IRoA created the Inter-ministerial Commission for Energy (ICE) and appointed a Secretariat to support it, as well as a working group to support the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW).
Status. Advising the ICE involves a multi-disciplined, multi-pronged approach within the IRoA and the donor community to yield positive and sustainable results. The Asian Development Bank, USAID, World Bank and other donors also provide technical advisors. Together, these advisors provide inputs to the ICE Secretariat to develop solutions in their areas of responsibility and expertise. Specific activities supported by the international technical advisory team include:
- Providing technical and advisory services as required by the Secretariat, with a primary focus on the North East Power System, but also including the South East Power System and the existing and planned power supply within Kabul;
- Advising the ICE and donor organizations on existing and future electrical power sector issues and analyzing data obtained from various sources on programs related to electrical power sector development and implementation;
- Coordinating with NEPS stakeholders to track progress, identify problems and funding gaps, and ensure successful system completion;
- Advising the ICE Secretariat and assisting with drafting papers for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on issues pertaining to energy regulation and policies, on future plans for meeting electric power needs after the completion of NEPS, as well as other energy related issues;
- Performing analysis, coordinating with stakeholders, and suggesting options for possible short-term solutions to Kabul's electric power plan production;
- Assisting the ICE Chairman in chairing regular and special stakeholder meetings;
- Providing support to the ICE on its mandate to develop the interministerial coordination of private investment projects and to create a private investment program for the power sector.
Impact. An important outcome of the formation of the Inter-ministerial Commission for Energy, including the provision for the donor community to provide technical advisories, is capacity building within the IRoA and the four primary ministries (Ministry of Energy and Water, Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Economy, and Ministry of Finance) related to transitioning to a sustainable energy sector.
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