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Provincial Reconstruction Teams
PRT STRUCTURE
The first PRT was created in
Gardez in December 2002.
There are currently 13 Coalition
and 10 ISAF PRTs.
A PRT typically consists of 60-
250 military personnel, a
USAID field officer, and a
State Department political Officer.
PRTs do not engage in combat
operations, however they
retain robust force-protection
capabilities that are used to
facilitate the work of civilian
representatives
PRT Profile
(pdf - 102k)
12/15/05: Briefing by Lt. General Barno on PRTs
CONTACTS
Mission Director
Robin Phillips
USAID/Kabul
6180 Kabul Place
Dulles, VA 20189-6180
Tel: 873-762-311955
Desk Officer
Caroline Brearley
Tel: (202) 712-0324
Email: cbrearley@usaid.gov
www.usaid.gov/afghanistan
Background
Afghanistan has reached a critical transition point. There is broadbased
support for the national government in many parts of the
country. Recent elections for the National Assembly and Provincial
Councils gave Afghans, for the first time, elected representatives at
the local level. Economic growth is accelerating, agricultural output
has doubled, and food security is improving. Enrollment in primary
school has increased dramatically, particularly for girls, and access
to quality basic health care is improving.
Despite these and many other successes, continuing violence and
severe under-development in the provinces threaten to undermine
the legitimacy of the central government and reverse gains made to
date. Therefore, the U.S. Government is shifting attention to Afghanistan’s
provinces. While national programs are beginning to
adjust to this shift, their geographic reach is still limited in many areas..
Program Overview
In Afghanistan, Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) have been
an important vehicle for the delivery of U.S. and international assistance
outside of Kabul, particularly in unstable provinces. PRTs are
small, joint civilian-military organizations that were established in
Afghanistan at the end of 2002. They are designed to improve security,
extend the reach of the Afghan government, and facilitate reconstruction
in priority provinces. Their core objective is to
implement projects that will improve stability so that more traditional
forms of development assistance can resume.
Activities
In 2003, USAID Afghanistan established the PRT-QIP (Quick Impact
Project) program implemented through the PRTs. This program provides
USAID representatives located at the PRTs with the ability to
implement small projects that further the core objectives of stability,
reconstruction, and building support for the central government of
Afghanistan.
To date over 500 projects have been completed. Many of these
have been small infrastructure projects, such as community irrigation
systems, clean water supply, road improvements, small power
systems, and the construction or rehabilitation of government buildings,
schools, and clinics.
As the PRT program looks to the future, projects will emphasize: 1)
Building the capacity of provincial and local government officials to
deliver services and address citizen needs in at-risk areas; 2) Encouraging
local communities to take an active role in their own development;
and 3) Promoting stability by addressing the underlying
causes of violence and support for insurgency.
Field Officers
USAID has Field Officers in most of the 23 Coalition and International
Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) PRTs around the country.
As USAID’s primary representative in the provinces, field officers
help implement and monitor all U.S. reconstruction and development
efforts in remote locations. They work to build relationships
with local leaders, identify local needs, report on significant developments,
and work with the staff in Kabul to design and monitor all
USAID activities in the area. The Field Officer is also responsible for
identifying and managing QIP funded activities in a province.
Another key part of the Field Officers mandate is to help our military
colleagues understand the range of civilian reconstruction and development
projects in a province, so that military funded projects
and activities can complement and strengthen civilian efforts. In addition,
USAID Field Officers are frequently involved in security, political
and other matters, working in concert with Department of
Defense, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of
State. This interagency approach has been one of the most successful
aspects of the PRTs.
Implementing Partners
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