Transparent procurement for Afghanistan's reconstruction programme

Shortly after the establishment of the first Afghan Interim Administration, Crown Agents was appointed to provide procurement services to address the urgent need for transparent, auditable processes by which the promised donor funds could be committed to the reconstruction process. In addition, key ministry staff were to be trained and 1960s procurement law updated in line with international procurement practice.

Over two years, our international procurement team, working with local counterparts, placed 199 contracts worth $388 million for 18 different Afghan ministries and other government agencies. 150 officials from key ministries had the opportunity to take part in different parts of the training and 68 officials from 12 different organisations achieved the Certificate in Public Procurement and a new National Procurement Law was presented to the Ministry of Justice.