‘Our work continues in Afghanistan’

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH runs operations in many countries with a fragile security situation. It continues its work to support development in Afghanistan, for example, and to implement projects to the same extent all over the country – whether in Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif or other parts of the country. ‘We are here because it is important to work with the Afghan population towards building their future,’ says Carsten Schmitz-Hoffmann, Country Director for GIZ in Afghanistan.

The basis of activities in a country like Afghanistan is a flexible security system that supplies international and Afghan staff with information on the current situation and specific recommendations for action. ‘The security of our staff is our top priority,’ Schmitz-Hoffmann emphasises. ‘It is also the basic condition that enables us to work effectively even in difficult circumstances.’

Even under these circumstances, GIZ has been able to implement improvements for the population, for example in education: GIZ has so far built 120 schools and universities in Afghanistan. These include primary schools, secondary schools, vocational schools and universities.

Today there are millions more children attending school compared with 2002; with German support in the north of the country alone more than 1.2 million boys and girls now have access to schools. GIZ also funds advanced training for Afghans in many different occupations – from tradespeople to lawyers – filling over half a million training places.

Projects are implemented in close cooperation with international and national employees. Together, they work on improving living conditions for people in Afghanistan. GIZ makes use of a range of management models and flexible operations from different locations. If a particular region is difficult to access for international employees, highly trained Afghan staff are available to take over project support and monitoring in the regions. Innovative management models and digital instruments support the implementation of complex projects in the many regions of Afghanistan.