RC N Watch: Die nutzlosen Polizeihauptquartiere im Norden Afghanistans

Das weitgehend fertig gestellte, aber leere Hauptquartier der Afghan Border Police in Imam Sahib bei Kundus (Foto: SIGAR)

Für den Aufbau Afghanistans haben die USA eine Art eigenen Rechnungshof, den Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), der von den USA finanzierte Projekte unter die Lupe nimmt. Diese Behörde hat am (heutigen) Dienstag und in den vergangenen Tagen zwei Berichte veröffentlicht, die auf die Bemühungen um den Aufbau afghanischer Sicherheitskräfte im Norden des Landes (erneut) kein allzu gutes Licht werfen.

Zum Beispiel bei der Konstruktion eines Hauptquartiers für die afghanische Grenzpolizei (Afghan Border Police, ABP) im Distrikt Imam Sahib in der Provinz Kundus, das immerhin 7,3 Millionen US-Dollar gekostet hatte und am 3. September 2012 an die afghanischen Sicherheitskräfte übergeben wurde. Dennoch fanden die Prüfer bei ihrem Besuch nur wenig Leben vor:

 SIGAR’s inspection was limited to two buildings and a portion of a third of the total 12 buildings at the facility because most buildings were locked and on-site personnel did not have keys.  No major construction quality issues were identified at the buildings SIGAR inspected.
Built with a capacity for 175 persons, only about 12 Afghan personnel were on site during SIGAR’s inspection, and they were unaware of plans to move additional staff to the facility.  Construction plans for Afghan forces were aligned to the personnel strength of 352,000, and there were no plans to adjust the building program to varying circumstances.  Most buildings appeared unused and some equipment—specifically, wood-burning stoves near the site’s dining facility—had been dismantled.
The facility also lacks back-up electrical power.  In addition, sustaining the facility will require personnel with appropriate skills to keep the electrical generator; fueling station; water treatment system; and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in working order.  However, there is neither an operation and maintenance contract nor a plan to train Afghan personnel to operate and maintain equipment.  This raises questions about the Afghan government’s ability to sustain the facility.

Auch beim ebenfalls neuen Gebäude für das Hauptquartier der Afghan National Police (ANP) in Kundus, Gesamtkosten über 17 Millionen US-Dollar, sieht es nicht so begeisternd aus, wie SIGAR in einem ebenfalls im Januar veröffentlichten Bericht feststellte:

A collection of 37 structures, the project was approximately 50 percent complete when SIGAR visited the site on November 15, 2012.  Most of the buildings were structurally complete.  No significant construction deficiencies were noted.
Nevertheless, SIGAR’s inspection identified usability and sustainability issues with the facility.  Specifically, a failure of the facility’s only source of power—a single diesel generator with no back-up or connection to the local electrical grid—could lead to significant sewage overflows that threaten the health and safety of the facility and its occupants.  Also, there are no plans for an operation and maintenance contract or to train Afghans to keep complex systems such as sewage treatment and electrical power in good working order.  Therefore, in SIGAR’s view, U.S. investment in this facility may be at risk.

Jetzt frage ich mich gerade, ob der deutsche Bundesrechungshof sich auch mal solche Projekte in Afghanistan angesehen hat. Und wie dessen Berichte aussehen.