Kabul Urban Survey - Groupe URD

Need for Land Law
Mac Auslan prepared a thorough analysis and a series of recommendations in his publication
Urban Land Law 11 . He explains the need for change in the legal apparatus: laws on tenure,
laws on master planning, laws on dispute settlement: “…During the last two years and
especially in the last few months a veritable cornucopia of books and reports on land law in
Afghanistan has been published….. The laws on tenure will be considered first, followed by
the laws on master planning and then the laws on dispute settlement.” 12
National Urban Poverty Reduction Program
“An urban poverty reduction program needs to be developed to address the needs of the
increasing numbers of the urban poor and vulnerable in Afghanistan... In urban areas, it is
important that any community based program has strong linkages with the city wide systems
of service delivery and governance structures to ensure long term sustainability.”
Strengthening the secondary database
“… Baseline surveys and benchmark also have to be developed for various urban services to
assess the progress made against specified service standards.”
• At a local level
The responsibility for managing Kabul’s development needs to lie first and foremost in the
hands of Kabul Municipality with the following:
Local elections
“Election should be conducted in KM, including in the main office and 22 districts, to install a
truly representative and responsive local government…”
City development strategy and plans
“KM needs to formulate a city development strategy and revised development plan KM
should be the lead agency for development planning for Kabul city …and should be
endorsed by appropriate legal provision. KM should set up a city development plan, should
consider the possibility of physical expansion and satellite towns’ development:
- an inclusive and participatory planning process
- a land and infrastructure development, but also on social dimensions
- an effective coordination mechanism”
Organisational reform and restructuring
“…challenge is building up human resources of KM in a sustainable manner through the
acquisition and application of new skills, knowledge and attitudes….Need of reform process
with the PRR, … judicious recruitment of limited number of personnel with specific skills
should be taken up… A 3-5 year capacity development plan with performance linked
incentives”
Revenue enhancement and financing urban development
“… a revaluation and rationalization of taxes and user charges is necessary that is linked to
the current, market value of properties and cost of providing services..; It should concern
:trade licenses, market fees, garbage collection fees property tax, rental tax updating land
titling tax.…” need …to start a financial management project with WB-KURP support.”
• Need for a specific approach to informal settlements and poverty reduction
“KM needs to develop its approach to dealing with informal settlements and poverty
reduction within the relevant national policy perspectives and its own city planning
11 Mac Auslan P, “Urban Land Law” in the Republic of Afghanistan, Issues and Options, 2005
12 Idem note 25.
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