About NSP - Management Structure

The following key stakeholders are instrumental in implementing the National Solidarity Programme.

Responsible Agency:
The NSP is carried out by the Afghanistan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD). Under the MRRD, a core NSP structure has been created to actually execute NSP on MRRD's behalf. The NSP core structure employs nearly 600 national staff and two international staff in its headquarters, its six Regional and 34 Provincial Management Units.

Facilitating Partners (FPs):
The MRRD has contracted 28 NGOs and one UN Agency (UN-Habitat) to work directly with targeted communities to implement NSP activities at the local level. As of December 2005, over 4,000 FP staff support programme implementation.

Communities:
NSP aims to reach a minimum of 21,600 rural communities by the end of NSP II in 2010.

Management Support Consultant (MSC):
Beginning in late March 2007, the MRRD contracted the British development consultancy firm Maxwell Stamp to provide (a) complete oversight and running of the NSP Departments of Finance and MIS, and (b) technical assistance in the form of one person each for the NSP Departments of Technical Support, FP Management, M&E, Public Communications, Quality Assurance, and Human Resources Development and Training. Together the consultancy services provided are referred to as NSP's Management Support Consultant or MSC.

Donors:
The Programme is financed through World Bank/IDA grants, the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, and the Japanese Social Development Fund. Contributors include the European Union and the Governments of the United States , United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Germany. In addition, the Governments of Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark provide direct bilateral aid.

NSP Steering Committee:
This is an inter-ministerial committee established to provide advice on overall programme direction and policies. It is chaired by the Second Vice President of Afghanistan. The MRRD serves as the secretariat for the steering committee.