Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund

Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund – Expatriate Services

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The ARTF Expatriate Services Program

A unique chance for highly qualified Afghans living abroad to make a significant contribution to their home country

The reconstruction of Afghanistan, after years of war, conflict and destruction is an enormous task requiring strategic planning, comprehensive, coordinated and sequenced actions, substantial amounts of capital, and above all, skilled human resources. Decades of conflict have resulted in the displacement of Afghanistan’s professional work force and the collapse of critical services in a wide range of sectors. In order for the reconstruction efforts to succeed in a timely manner, the placement of highly skilled Afghan professionals with significant reconstruction and development experience to plug critical skill gaps in ministries and other government agencies is of vital importance.

The urgent need to include expatriate Afghan professionals in the reconstruction of Afghanistan has been recognized by the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan, international organizations, as well as expert Diaspora. What is urgently required is the placement of high level professionals within key ministries/government agencies to enhance the Government’s effectiveness to better manage the reconstruction process.

The ARTF (Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund) is a multi donor trust fund administered by the World Bank in support of Afghanistan's reconstruction efforts. The Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) will implement the ARTF Expatriate Services (ARTF-ExS) Program with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The purpose of the ARTF-ExS program is to identify worldwide, highly skilled human resources (expatriate Afghan professionals) with significant reconstruction and development experience, in order to place them within key ministries and other government agencies/institutions to enhance the Government's effectiveness in overseeing urgent policy and institutional reforms. The objective of the 24-month program is to provide the IARCSC with technical assistance and support in establishing a merit based recruitment system by putting in place all necessary processes and procedures for identifying Afghan Experts worldwide and placing at least (initially) 60 highly-skilled Afghan expatriates into Afghanistan’s public administration.

The ARTF-ExS will finance the compensation and expenses of Afghan experts and professionals residing abroad, who wish to make a contribution to the reconstruction of their country. The initial contract duration will vary between 6 and 12 months, with possibility of extension. Clear and merit-based recruitment procedures and an equitable structure of compensation in line with relevant principles embodied in a code of conduct are set up in order to ensure a transparent recruitment process.