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Alex Jones, Mercy Corps’ Director of Operations - Afghanistan, recently met with Kandahar leaders to discuss relief and development issues. Photo: Scott Heidler/Mercy Corps.
KANDAHAR CITY, Afghanistan -- Management of the Mercy Corps office in Kandahar has met with senior community representatives of southern Afghanistan to discuss a number of civil society issues, community mobilization and participation in relief and development activities.
The meeting, called by the Afghan representatives, took place at the Mercy Corps office in Kandahar City on December 30 and was attended by seven major figures of the southern Afghanistan region including; the Mayor of Kandahar city, the President of the Tribal Council of Kandahar Province, several Elders of leading Pashtun tribes, and two leaders of the Diaspora community.
The group has been traveling throughout southern and western Afghanistan for two weeks to build support for the upcoming Loya Jirga, resolve disputes, and involve members of communities in the rehabilitation and development of Afghanistan.
According to Alex Jones, Mercy Corps’ Director of Operations - Afghanistan, the discussion covered a broad range of topics, including the role that the community, together with humanitarian organizations, can and should play in the reconciliation and development processes. Specific questions were addressed to Mercy Corps as to how the Interim Government and this group of senior community leaders could engage with the humanitarian community as they begin to return to the south.
In the meeting, the representatives raised the question of inclusion of the community in identifying needs. Mercy Corps stressed that it is eager to work with the gathered representatives to support the types of civil society initiatives that they were advocating and to assist them in participatory planning and community self-identification of needs.
The importance of creating and supporting women’s grassroots organizations was emphasized and is a key component of Mercy Corps’ global goals to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.
Jones added, “We have been invited to make a presentation on the subject to the Council of Tribal Leaders and offered to provide recommendations and guidance on the creation of a humanitarian liaison working group.”
“Mercy Corps suggested that the Kandahar administration needs to form a working group that can act as a point of reference for humanitarian agencies, and can offer concrete solutions on issues such as return of assets, border transit facilitation, and liaison with Commanders now in power in operational areas. Mercy Corps has to a large degree achieved these objectives, but has been able to do so through a long operational history in the region, a solid core of national staff, and an early return to Kandahar.”
Mercy Corps has been operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan since 1986 and reopened its office in Kandahar over two weeks ago. It was the first international NGO to establish an expat presence following the crisis.
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