Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

• Key facts
• Relations with New Zealand
• Political Situation
• Visits
• Representation
• Travel advice

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Key Facts

General

Official Name Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Land Area 652,000 sq km
Population 31 million (2006 estimate)
Capital City Kabul
Religion The majority of Afghans are Muslims of the Sunni sect (84%). There are also minority religious groups of Shi’ite Muslims (15%), Hindus, Sikhs and Jews (1%).
Ethnic divisions Pashtuns are the dominant ethnic community, accounting for between 40-50% of the population. Tajiks constitute a further 20%. Another 10% are Turkic, Uzbeks and Turkmen. There are some 20 other ethnic groups, including Hazaras, Baluchis and Nuristanis.
Language There are over 30 languages of which the principal two are Pashtu (35%) and Dari (a dialect of Farsi) (50%). Others include Turkic - primarily Uzbek and Turkmen (11%); Balochi and Pashai (4%). Bilingualism is common.
Currency Afghanistan Afghani (Af)
Exchange Rate US$1 = Af47.7 (2004 average)

Political

Political system Constitutional government
National government The Afghan Transitional Authority was replaced by the Afghan National Assembly following the parliamentary and provincial council elections on 18 September 2005. The government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was inaugurated in December 2005.
National legislature Elections for a legislative assembly were successfully conducted on 18 September 2005.
Last election Presidential elections were held on 9 October 2004.
Next election due The next presidential election is scheduled for 20 August 2009.  Parliamentary and district elections are scheduled for 2010.

Head of State President Hamid Karzai (Pashtun)

Key Ministers

First Vice President Ahmad Zia Masood
Second Vice President Abdul Karim Khalili (Hazara)
Defence Minister Abdur Rahim Wardak (Pashtun)
Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta
Finance Anwar al-Haq Ahadi

Main political organisations

Political parties include:

Jamiat-e Islami (Tajik)
Jumbesh-e Milli (Uzbek)
Hizb-e Wadhat (Hazara)
Harakat-e Islami (Hazara)
Nezhat-e Milli (Tajik)
Hizb-e Islami (Pashtun)
Adalat-e Shura (Turkmen)
Ittihad-e Islami (Pashtun)
Mahaz-e Milli (Pashtun)

Economic

GDP US$12.8 billion (2008 IMF estimates)
Real GDP growth 7.5% (2008 IMF estimates)
Exports US$2.1 billion (2008 IMF estimates)
Imports US$8.5 billion (2008 IMF estimates)
Inflation 24.0% (Kabul average 2008 IMF estimates)
Current account balance -US$6.8 billion (2008 IMF estimates)
Principal exports Carpets (US$187 million); dried fruit (US$126 million); fresh fruit (US$39 million) - (2006/07 fiscal year – IMF estimate)
Main export markets India (23.6%); Pakistan (22.5%); United States (21.2%) – (2007 IMF estimate)
Principal imports Machinery (US$532 million); food (US$328 million); household items (US$330 million); - (2006/07 fiscal year – IMF estimate)

Other economic information not currently available

New Zealand Trade

NZ Exports (FOB) NZ$893,000 (for the year to December 2008)
Main ExportsWool (38%); electrical components (29%)
NZ Imports (CIF) NZ$68,000 (for the year to December 2008)
Main Imports Carpets (51%); office machine components (18%)

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Relations with New Zealand

New Zealand assistance

New Zealand is committed to supporting Afghanistan in its progress toward political and economic stability. Since 2002, NewZealand has contributed more than NZ$180 million to Afghanistan in the form of military assistance and humanitarian and development support. Around 140NZDF personnel are stationed in Afghanistan at any one time.

Since September 2003 NewZealand has maintained a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Bamyan Province.  This was originally part of our contribution to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and since November 2006, the PRT has operated under the command of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).  This adjustment took place as part of the transfer of security responsibility for Afghanistan (in collaboration with the Afghan government) from OEF to ISAF.  The PRT  involves about 140 NZDF personnel drawn from the three services. It is helping the Afghan government extend its influence beyond Kabul by promoting stability in Bamyan Province.  NewZealand also has personnel serving in the headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).  Two officers are assisting train the Afghan National Army in Kabul. Two NZ Police officers are helping train Afghan National Police officers at the Regional Police Training Centre in Bamyan and a third mentors the Provincial Chief of Police.

New Zealand continues to provide humanitarian and development assistance through its Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme of around NZ$7m annually. At the Paris Conference in June 2008 NZ pledged NZ$21 million for 2008 - 2011.  Development assistance focuses on human rights, health, education, sustainable rural livelihoods, governance and capacity development of provincial officials and staff of non-government organisations.  The programme is implemented primarily in Bamyan, where the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) is located.  New Zealand has also contributed NZ$500,000 contribution to the UN Counter Narcotics Trust Fund and provides $800,000 annually to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission.

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Political Situation

After the fall of the Taleban regime in 2001, the United Nations hosted a conference to draw up a plan for governing Afghanistan. Hamid Karzai was sworn in as head of an interim government in December 2001, and was elected interim Head of State in June 2002 by the Loya Jirga (Grand Council). The Loya Jirga adopted a new constitution in January 2004.

Hamid Karzai became Afghanistan’s first democratically elected leader after winning the presidential election in October 2004. The Afghan National Assembly elections followed in September 2005. Afghanistan has a 249 seat lower house (Wolesi Jirga), whose members in turn elect 68 representatives to the upper house (Meshrano Jirga).

The next Presidential elections are scheduled for 20 August 2009.  A total of 41 candidates are registered to stand in the election. President Karzai is running for re-election.  Other prominent candidates include Dr Abdullah Abdullah, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ashraf Ghani, a former Minister of Finance.  There are two female presidential candidates.

The international community is playing a large role in Afghanistan’s development.  An Afghanistan Compact was launched at the London Conference in January 2006.  This provides the framework for international engagement in Afghanistan.  It links to the Afghan Government’s Afghan National Development Strategy (ANDS) and sets targets to achieve in areas such as security, economic development and counter-narcotics.  The international community pledged around US$21 billion to implement the ANDS at a conference in Paris in 2007.  The most recent international conference was held in The Hague in March 2009.  It emphasised the importance of a move towards civilian reconstruction and development and of the Afghan people taking over the security and development of their country.

At present there are around 76,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan under the US’s Operation Enduring Freedom and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).   Coordination of international civilian assistance is led by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). 

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