Afghanistan—Regional Afghan Municipalities Program for Urban Populations, Regional Command North (RAMP UP North)

Afghan municipalities have long suffered from underinvestment, limited support, low revenues, and weak institutional capacity. As a result, services and infrastructure in municipalities are minimal. Few have piped water systems or consistent city power—lack of access to electricity is common. Inadequate sanitation services result in high rates of infant mortality. Community and social amenities are deteriorated or absent.

This project addressed these challenges and helped to establish capable, legitimate governance at the municipal level in nine provincial capitals. Its primary customers were municipal officials (mayors, revenue officers, engineers, etc.) and the citizens who benefit from municipal services. The small-scale and sustainable service delivery improvement projects that we helped municipalities implement improved their capacity to deliver services and increasing citizen satisfaction with, trust in, and support for the municipal government.

Sample Activities

• Increase the capacity of municipal officials.
• Improve delivery of municipal services to citizens by implementing small-scale service delivery improvement projects.
• Boost municipal capacity to enable, support, and sustain economic growth.
• Support citizen participation and civil society engagement.

Select Results

• All nine municipalities formed Service Delivery Advisory Groups that serve as the key interface between citizens and municipal officials.
• Implemented 18 municipal infrastructure projects in cooperation with local communities and municipal governments.
• Created seven local mechanisms help citizens engage their sub-national government.
• Trained 845 individuals on ways to strengthen local government and the role of decentralized government.
• Trained 407 government officials on anticorruption efforts.
• Conducted 113 meetings between community councils and government entities.
• Helped 4,038 citizens in using local mechanisms to engage their sub-national governments.
• Issued 7,280 business licenses in five municipalities, which represents a 66.6 percent increase over the previous year.
• Increased municipal revenue by 37.6 percent over the previous year.
• Conducted budget hearings and help prepare budgets for nine municipalities.