SWECO as the lead consultant in joint venture with its partners GOPA Infra and INTEGRATION (both Germany) started in October 2017 with the third phase consulting services for the implementation of the “Regional Infrastructure Development Fund” (RIDF) in the six provinces of Badakhshan, Baghlan, Balkh, Kunduz Samangan and Takhar in Northern Afghanistan. The project is funded by the KfW Development Bank.

The RIDF programme covers the following main infrastructure sectors:

• decentralised energy supply,
• drinking water supply and sewerage,
• construction of roads and bridges,
• irrigation,
• flood protection measures and
• education (i.e. construction of schools).

The average project size is within a budget limit between 0.5 and 1.5 m Euro.

As per the original scope, the Consultant is supporting, accompanying and monitoring the responsible entities (provincial development committees, line departments) over the whole project cycle from project identification and proposal via feasibility check, selection (“Implementation Vote” respectively "Prioritization Vote"), design, tender, award, supervision and handover. The target is that after the end of the programme this project cycle can be handled single-handedly by the Afghan line departments.

To achieve this, not only specific locally adjusted selection and implementation procedures and criteria are developed and followed up but also specific capacity development measures, on-the-job training and coaching for the involved line departments were conducted. Several programme tasks such as tendering, contract and financial management, design reviews and construction supervision have been taken over by the consultant until the capacities of the Afghan partners will have been built up to a degree that they can take over a bigger share of the implementation.