PRT: birth of a model

When in the August of 2003 the Command and Planning process of ISAF mission in Afghanistan, originally limited to Kabul, passed from UN to NATO and when the mandate, two months later, was extended all over the Country through a five steps, gradual expansion of the military forces, the tool of PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team), already successfully used in Iraq, turned out to be a point of reference for all the Nations involved in an indispensable model in order to guarantee an easy deployment of the allied military forces on the entire territory.

It happened thanks to some PRT winning characteristics as a strong connotation “light footprint” aimed to avoid the soldiers of being perceived like a simple occupation force; the ability to maximize the operational strength compared to the restricted, available resources; flexibility or rather the skill to operate both in post-conflict reconstruction and development activities in high risk areas and in peace-building operations (development, governance and security) in a relatively more safe area coordinating and cooperating with all the civil and military actors busy in the reconstruction.

Today there are 27 active PRTs under guidance of ISAF and under the direct command of 13 nations, shared in the 4 macro - areas in which the Afghan territory has been divided (North, South, East and the West) more the Capital Kabul.

PRT: MISSION, CONCEPT, TASKS AND ACTIVITY

MISSION

Although flexible and different each other, all PRTs share the same mission and the same operational/strategic concept that leads them to operate in the field by pursuing common goals: "to assist the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to extend its authority in order to facilitate the development of a secure and stable environment in a well-defined area of operations, improving the security sector reform and reconstruction efforts”. 

TASKS AND ACTIVITIES

PRT performs his duties assisting the Local Authorities in the reconstruction process, supporting the security and the governance sectors. It is therefore a supporting role to the Afghan Authorities, which nevertheless remain the key players during all the process. ISAF guidelines inflect then the objectives assigned to the PRTs that, tailored to the different local realities, include design and execution of reconstruction works, encouragement of a dialogue with the local leaders, mediation between the Shura and Local Institutions, between the Government, UNAMA and NGOs, execution of donations, patrolling activities, training of security forces, demobilization of armed groups, provision of medical care, etc.

The reconstruction and development sector is the one where PRTs mostly direct the financial commitments and human efforts, investing in reconstruction of the most critical areas as education, health, agriculture, small infrastructure, security and governance, but always keeping as a prior reference the needs established by ANDS through the process of preparation of PDPs.

The SECURITY sector indirectly involve PRTs through the mere presence of its military forces in the territory which have a significant stabilizing effect like patrolling activity conducted in the service of CIMIC cells or through the collection and circulation of information, the assistance to build facilities for local security forces such as Check Points, Police Districts, small barracks and various donations but also directly, in some cases, through training and mentoring of ANFS.

Governance is the most delicate sector because it requires the PRT to fill the institutional void caused by the weakness of peripheral governments, opposing the anti-government forces that counter it and pursuing the goal of supporting local institutions throughout a series of practical and appropriate relations with the Authorities

HERAT and the Italian PRT

On 31 March 2005, coinciding with the beginning of the second phase of ISAF expansion, the command of the PRT in Herat, led by U.S.A., was entrusted to Italy with the entire Western Region (RC-W), also placed under Italian command and comprising three other PRTs: the Lithuanian of Chaghcharan (Ghor), the Spanish one of Qual I Now (Badghis) and the U.S. in Farah.
Nowadays the Italian PRT Area Of Operations coincides with the Herat Province (54. 778 km² with an estimated population of about 1,578,200) divided into 15 districts more the municipality of the Capital, Herat city (estimated population 274.000 in 2006 but with a projection of 400.000 in 2010); borders with Iran to the west and north-west with Turkmenistan, in the interior with the provinces of Badghis, Ghor and Farah.

The area is pretty stable compared to the others, although, some districts such as Shindand, Farsi and Chisti E Sharif, are still problematic from a security point of view that strongly limits the reconstruction and development efforts, particularly those of civil organizations.

The Italian PRT in Herat (Camp VIANINI) is therefore to operate in a relatively stable area and performs activities almost exclusively aimed to the reconstruction of the territory, the maintenance of security (only force protection to the various assets, especially the CIMIC ones) and support to the institutional development, economic and social (governance).All the projects, always addressed to the civilian community without distinction based on religion or ethnicity, are funded by the Italian Ministry of Defense.

The Civil Cooperation and CIMIC

The civilian component

Into the Italian PRT, next to military forces, works the civilian component of the MoFA (Minister of Foreign Affairs) though, since the end of 2009, no longer live together in the same place (Camp Vianini), since the civilian component "moved" elsewhere for logistical reasons.

Despite the separation, coordination and cooperation between these two "souls" of Italian PRT continue profitably, both for projects planning activity carried out independently by each part and for the realization of works “marked” by PRT but where the Italian Cooperation is involved with the provision of equipment, furniture and training (notable examples are the Pediatric Hospital built in 2008, the School of Siawashan in 2009 and the 5 government buildings renewed with funds, partly European and partly MoD, where the staff will be trained with specific training courses provided by NGOs through COOP-ITA).

In a modern scenario of asymmetric warfare like Afghanistan where peace, security and development are more interconnected than ever, crises tend to become immediately ground action of the International Community.The majority of IOs present in the Afghan Area of Operations have developed from the beginning many cooperation programs to meet the various and emerging needs and, among different areas of interest, the activities of the Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) play a major role.In a classical, theoretical structure of a military operation, the CIMIC activity is expressed mainly starting from the stabilization phase.Therefore it is aimed to achieve and maintain a minimum level of security and to reach a simultaneous interaction with the local population.

CIMIC Projects

CIMIC PROJECTS

The CIMIC Center is the core business of PRT because it 's through the complex and delicate process of planning (Master Plan-MP) and execution (EXECUTIVE PLAN-EP) of the projects that the CIMIC cell expresses the maximum of its potential, legitimizing the activity and the very existence of the PRT.

CIMIC PROJECTS - EXECUTIVE PLAN 2010

In detail twenty-five projects has been developed, more 8 of reserve, shared out different sectors with particular attention to the infrastructural ones that involve:

- five km of paved roads more two important sewage stretches in the Historical Center of Herat (45% of the budget allocated);

- four new schools more the completion of other two already started by PRT in 2008 and never finished (22%);

- a massive distribution of seeds and bulbs Saffron (10%);

- two new police stations (10% of the budget);

- the electrical connection of the Regional Hospital of Herat to the main distribution (7%);

- the construction of a big building in Herat designed to support the female entrepreneurs, in favor of the Department of Women Affairs (7%).

So, approximately two thirds of the proposed budget covers operations regarding the city of Herat, supposed to be as a catalyst for revitalizing the society, the economy and the culture of the Province.Herat, in fact, has always been, in and around Afghanistan, a center of big openness both cultural and commercial exchange, giving up in this way, positive changes that have affected human groups also in rural areas beyond the limits of the Province.