Kabul (BNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan welcomes the follow-up report by the Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC) concerning the Employment and Deployment processes in the Foreign Ministry.
As reflected in MEC’s report, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made significant progress in implementing all MEC’s recommendations related to reforming the recruitment and deployment processes. In its press release, MEC wrote: “As of November 2020, MEC’s findings indicate that there is notable progress in implementation of five out of six recommendations while the remaining one recommendation was archived”.
The MEC’s recommendations included five key components including: (1) establishing and operationalizing Electronic Systems; (2) investigating violations and implementing disciplinary action; (3) introducing better policies to improve the quality of recruitment and deployment, (4) implementing a mechanism for reviewing academic records, professional background, and foreign language skills, and (5) strengthening the role of Institute of Diplomacy in staff training and recruitment.
The MEC’s press release has mentioned the following points as practical steps taken by the Ministry to implement MEC recommendations:
Establishing a Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS);
Creating an Electronic Attendance System;
Completing the comprehensive draft of the Diplomatic and Consular Employees Law;
Drafting six new Policies and Procedures;
Signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Independent Administrative Reforms and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) to initiate and launch a competitive recruitment process (according to which more than 100 diplomats have been appointed to Afghanistan’s political and consular missions abroad based on meritocracy through the competitive recruitment process);
Devising revised procedures for new recruitments and hiring local employees;
Adopting a new mechanism for addressing grievances and complaints;
Standardizing the English Language Tests and other foreign language exams;
Developing new curricula for short, medium, and long-term specialized training programs for diplomats by the Institute of Diplomacy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs appreciates the MEC’s follow-up report listing MoFA’s latest achievements and assures the MEC Committee that the Ministry will continue to work on the planned reform programs until the recommendations are fully implemented.
In addition to implementing MEC’s recommendations, the MoFA has undertaken a comprehensive reform program to establish an active, modern, future-oriented diplomatic apparatus in line with country’s foreign policy and present-day requirements. The Ministry pursues and implements its reform agenda with vigor and commitment. The reform agenda, amongst others, includes the formulation of foreign policy priorities, capacity building of staff and diplomats, modernizing foreign policy apparatus, upgrading the Ministry’s research and analytical capacity, strengthening communications and public diplomacy, and executing extensive administrative, financial, and logistical reforms.
M.A.Ansari
