ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: The World Bank has arranged a three-day conference, starting November 27 in Islamabad, to firm up proposals for reconstruction, employment generation and stimulation of agriculture in the post-war Afghanistan.

To be co-host with Asian Development Bank (ADB) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the conference “will cover the immediate post-crisis recovery including stimulating agriculture recovery and employment generation”, said an “Approach Paper” prepared by the World Bank and released by the US embassy in Islamabad.

The conference “Preparing for Afghanistan’s Reconstruction” will be attended by people from the assistance community and representatives of Afghan groups and review existing food security, education and de-mining programme once the war ends.

A World Bank approach paper suggests that once a post-conflict government is in prospect, reconstruction funding would be channelled through a trust fund to ensure effective prioritization and utilization of funding across a wide range of reconstruction and development activities.

The “discussion will address the development of social and infrastructure areas, including education and health services, managing urban redevelopment and rebuilding essential infrastructure like irrigation facilities and road networks”, said the paper.

“The heart of the challenge is not merely a restoration to the pre-conflict situation of the late 1970s, which will merely return Afghanistan to its status as one of the worlds poorest countries as measured in both incomes social indicators”, said the paper.

Currently, UN and non-governmental estimates of infant mortality, place Afghanistan among the highest in the world with 165 deaths per 1,000 live births. A further 257 out 1,000 toddlers die before they reach the age of five. An estimated 1,700 mothers out of 100,000 die in childbirth, about 500 people each fell victim to land-mines or other unexploded ordnance.

The world bank said the existing assistance programme already in place would be scaled up rapidly when the conflict ends to generate quick relief. These areas included food security, education and de-mining, the latter which is already underway in some parts of the country.

Based on the de-mining experience so far the bank estimates that countrywide clearance could cost about US$500 million. The bank said that short priorities could include; Agricultural recovery and food security, livelihood generation for returning refugees and displaced people and support to existing communities through provision of basic services and small-scale development and empowerment programmes.

Some of the reconstruction agenda items would include establishment of sound economic management institutions like the central bank, ministry of finance, treasury, statistical system; developing education and health systems that reach the bulk of populations; developing a lean, effective and honest civil service and institutions of public accountability; urban management and avoiding permanent large refugee cities.

The Bank also wanted to cover areas like creation of enabling environment for private sector development particularly to attract and productively utilize Afghans, Pakistan, Iran and the Middle East; export development of agricultural and livestock products particularly forestry.