Photo: Elsebeth Krogh / COWI

Military help with reconstruction vital 

Development in the world's conflict areas is often only made possible for the local population by peacekeeping forces: their involvement in reconstruction should therefore be maintained. This is the conclusion of a review of the Danish civil-military reconstruction work in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Start thinking about reconstruction and development even before the last bombs have fallen in the conflict-ridden parts of the world. And let the armed forces turn their hand to the reconstruction work while the security situation stabilises.

These are two of COWI's recommendations arising out of its review of the Danish civil-military reconstruction contribution in Afghanistan and Iraq. The consultants interviewed the local population, government officials, local NGOs and the armed forces in both countries and looked at existing projects, e.g., securing water supplies.
Photo: Elsebeth Krogh / COWI
Danish military vehicles in Afghanistan.


Military help or none

The fundamental observation made by COWI is that the military contribution makes an enormous difference to the local population.

The review was commissioned by Danida and the Danish Ministry of Defence, who have collaborated over the last four years to enable Danish peacekeeping forces to undertake development assignments in areas where it is too dangerous for NGOs and other civilian agencies to work.

Huge need for reconstruction

"Seeing the great need for reconstruction and development, it would be hard to say that the armed forces should keep out of reconstruction work. But it is vital that their work should be in close partnership with experts in development work who have sound local knowledge," says Elsebeth Krogh, project manager, evaluating the development work in Afghanistan.

"There are huge disparities in terms of security in different areas of Afghanistan. Take the northern region which we visited, there armed forces have been able to work well, securing clean water supply, rebuilding bridges and undertaking restoration and repair work to allow schools to reopen."

Relationships with the local population

The review also stresses better preparation for future assignments. In Afghanistan it has, for example, not always been clear to the local population what the military role was in relation to improving the security situation.  

COWI therefore recommends that more training be given for this type of assignment; that experts in development work be tasked with identifying needs and building up contacts with the local population before the military's involvement; and finally that more civilian consultants be brought in to provide liaison with military contingents.

By Janne Toft Jensen, jaje@cowi.dk
Published: 27.10.2006

Post-conflict consultancy 

COWI has provided post-conflict consultancy services in the Ache Province in Indonesia, Burma, the Republic of Macedonia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and other countries all over the world. The projects have typically been in the fields of democratisation, reinvigoration of civil society, repatriation and integration of refugees, demobilisation, mine clearance and reconstruction of infrastructure.