commitment and competency, he rose quickly within the ranks of his project offices. Although he was
born and raised in Kandahar, he was targeted by the Taliban for being associated with the USG.
Ultimately, he relocated his family to Kabul for personal security.
Recommendation.
1. The USG must continue to use security teams and intel to keep their local employees safe. The
security teams should brief local staff on security threats and checkpoints, especially if the staff are
traveling to high-risk provinces.
2. Have a backstory ready (i.e. information about oneself to show local ties). Local staff should have
a backstory prepared along with a colleague or relative on standby over the phone to corroborate.
3. Do not carry any items with logos of USG entities, implementing partners, and contractors. This
includes letterheads, business cards, pens, and brochures.
4. Women must travel with a “maharem” (chaperone). This is especially important for foreign women
who are aiming to work and live “low profile” in Afghanistan.
5. Work closely with local authorities such as the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and
National Directorate of Security (NDS) to monitor threats.
Implications.
If USG contractors and partners do not take great care in looking after their local staff who are required
to enter highly insecure parts of Afghanistan, there are several ramifications. First, there’s a liability
issue. Second, the instability in Afghanistan combined with limited economic opportunities have led
to a significant brain drain; the lack of assurance of personal safety from employers would only
contribute to the issue further. Third, the implications for local staff is very high as they are putting
their lives at risk as well as their families’ welfare.
On a macro level, when employees of international organizations working in Afghanistan get injured,
kidnapped, or killed, the public immediately look to the ANSF for answers. Public perception of the
ANSF is very fragile in a country where explosions are routine daily occurrences. Amidst accusations
of corruption and poor training, bodily harm to international workers and local staff only contribute
to the low level of confidence. Hence, government relations and diplomacy are also at risk.
Event Description.
This lesson is based on personal experience working with USAID in Afghanistan and on these
references:
[1] “U.S. Foreign Aid by Country,” USAID, (Fiscal Year 2016).
[2] “LWJ Map Assessment: Taliban Controls or Contests 45% of Afghan Districts,” B. Roggio & A.
Gutowski, FDD’s Long War Journal, (26 September 2017).
[3] “Taliban Leader: No Peace Without Foreigners Leaving,” Al Jazeera Newsgrid,
(2 July 2016).
Lesson Author (Guest Contributor): Amy Chase
Table of Contents | Quick Look | Contact PKSOI
17