Annex A: The Committee's visit programme
in Afghanistan
The International Development Committee visited Afghanistan
from 25 October to 1 November 2007. The key meetings were as follows:
Thursday 25 October
Arrive in Kabul
Security briefing
Friday 26 October
Briefing from DFID-Afghanistan officials
Meetings at ISAF HQ including with General Garry
Robison, Deputy Commander (Stability) ISAF
Meeting with NGOs: Afghanaid, Aga Khan Foundation,
Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghanistan Relief (ACBAR), Asia
Foundation, Mercy Corps and Oxfam
Barnett Rubin, Director of Studies and Senior Fellow,
Center on International Co-operation, New York University
Working dinner with ISAF Commander, donor country
ambassadors and UN representatives
Saturday 27 October
Briefing from British Embassy Kabul staff
Meeting with Afghanistan Research and Evaluation
Unit
Visit to Ariana Financial Services microfinance project
and discussions with clients
Visit to mint-processing project
Meeting with Country Manager, World Bank and other
officials
Dinner with international partners (Asian Development
Bank, European Commission, UN, USAID, World Bank; German, Dutch
and Indian development agencies)
Sunday 28 October
Breakfast meeting with women National Assembly members
and public officials:
- Hangama Anwari, Commissioner,
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission
- Shukrai Barakzai, Member of the National Assembly
- Fawzia Koofi, Member of the National Assembly
- Qudriya Parsat, Member of the National Assembly
- Zohra Rasekh, Director of Human Rights and Gender
Equality in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Momina Yari, Commissioner, Independent Electoral
Commission
Meeting with General Dan McNeill, Commander, ISAF
Meeting with Jelani Popal, Director General of the
Independent Directorate of Local Governance
Working lunch with Ministers and officials:
- Mr Atmar, Minister of Education
- Mr Khodaidad, Minister of Counter-Narcotics
- Mr Ramin, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Mastoor, Budget Director in the Ministry of
Finance
- Rahela Siddiqi, Senior Adviser, Civil Service
Commission
Meeting with Tom Koenigs, UN Special Representative
and other UN officials
Meeting with Adib Farhadi, Director, Afghanistan
National Development Strategy Secretariat
The Committee divided into two groups for visits
to Helmand and Balkh provinces
Group 1: Helmand
Monday 29 October
Briefing from Head of Provincial Reconstruction Team
and Commander of Helmand Taskforce
Briefing from Deputy Helmand Co-ordinator
Meeting with Governor Wafa
Meeting with Provincial Council
Meeting with representatives of line Ministries in
Helmand
Tuesday 30 October
Visits to development projects, including a school,
a midwifery training centre, a hospital and water projects.
Group 2: Balkh
Monday 29 October
Visit to Langar Khana Khord district to meet Community
Development Councils (CDC) and discuss development projects
Visit to Takhta Pul village to meet Community Development
Council and discuss water supply project.
Visit to Drug Rehabilitation Clinic in Mazar-e-Sharif
Working dinner with Provincial Reconstruction Team
Swedish and Finnish representatives and USAID
Tuesday 30 October
Visit to HALO Trust project to observe weapons clearance
and discuss demining
Meeting with Balkh Provincial Council
Meeting and working lunch with Governor Atta
Visit to FINCA microfinance project and discussion
with clients
Both parties return to Kabul
Wednesday 31 October (Kabul)
Visit to school. Discussions with Executive Director,
National Solidarity Programme, local CDC members and school pupils.
Visit to Community Centre to meet local CDC
Meeting with President Karzai
Working lunch with Ashraf Garni, former Finance Minister
and Chairman of the Institute of State Effectiveness
Meeting with Ambassador of Pakistan
Meeting with National Youth Parliament
Thursday 1 November
Depart Afghanistan
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