KABUL (Pajhwok): The EU delegation to Afghanistan hoped Kabul would make substantial efforts to give the provincial councils (PCs) back their right to oversee the performance of local government departments.
A statement from the EU said that Stefan Huber, the deputy head of the EU delegation, expressed these views at a meeting with members of the PC coordination committee at his office in Kabul.
Taji Mohammad Mangal, a member of the committee, claimed the EU delegation chief fully supported accountability authority of the provincial councils.
He said they met the delegation chief to seek his support in regaining the oversight role, which he said was necessary for strengthening democracy, ensuring good governance and combating corruption in provincial departments.
Mangal claimed regional countries in one way or the other were behind lawmakers denying the oversight role to the provincial councils, but said all the councils nationwide had adopted a unified stance over the issue.
The statement said that Huber met with representatives of 18 Provincial Councils from across Afghanistan to reach out and listen to concerns related to the Provincial Council Law.
During the meeting also local governance and EU assistance to all provinces was discussed.
As to the National Unity Government's agenda for sub-national governance, the EU sees the legitimacy of the government to a large extent also depending on local governance, Huber added.
Accordingly, the EU in Afghanistan has recently raised this with the relevant Afghan authorities.
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