Grant Management Unit

Background

The capacity of Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) to set policy framework, plan and coordinate activities in the refugees, returnees and IDP sector continue to be weak. Current systems and human capacity of the ministry has received minimum attention over the past nine years and thus remain poorly developed.  The budget process is not yet the intended, effective tool for policy development, coordination of overall programme implementation, or a tool for monitoring if national objectives have been met. MoRR has over the past years not been able to fully implement its allocated national budget allocation and for this reason seen its financial resources under its direct control diminishing year after year.

This has led to a situation where the vast majority of activities in the sector has been implemented though the external budget and all good principles on aid effectiveness as per the Paris Declaration has yet to be implemented in the MoRR relationship with its partners.

A top priority of MoRR in 1390 is therefore to develop the institutional capacity of the ministry at central and sub-national levels to plan, prepare and respond to displacement related issues, including enhanced capacities for strategic planning, policy setting, coordination and budget formulation and execution.

The Ministry will adopt a two-pronged strategy of injecting capacity and developing capacity. It will contract external capacity in the short to medium term to assist in developing MoRR institutional capacity for the longer term. International technical experts will be sought to provide technical assistance for MoRR to formulate and implement major policy, strategy and management development activities for two-three years. They will work alongside contracted national (Afghan) advisers and with senior staff to mentor them and help develop their management skills and the relevant technical skills of their staff.

To spearhead the implementation of this strategy MoRR has established the Grant Management Unit (GMU) headed by a manager who will be under the supervision of the Director of Planning and External Relations Directorate.  

The overall objective of the GMU is to support the effective and efficient use of available internal and external resources for protection and assistance to Afghan returnees, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

 

The GMU overall functions are:

 

1. Coordination of aid and external relations
2. Resource Mobilization, Grant and Contract Management
3. Reporting

The GMU is established to improve aid effectiveness according to the principles of the Paris Declaration and in line with international agreements and the Ministry of Finance’s aid policy. The GMU - though merit-based recruitment of professional and qualified staff contracted outside the MoRR Takhil – is tasked to undertake in the short term a number of high priority ‘aid effectiveness’ functions while capacity of Planning and External Relations Directorate is being developed.

In institutional terms, the GMU is starting out as a parallel structure, though the aim is to ensure its functions are gradually over time well integrated into the Taskhil of relevant directorates/departments.

---

GMU Functions:

The functions of the GMU are clustered into three main categories as follows:

 

A. Coordination of Aid and External Relations

• Aid information management:

Aid information covers information on donors' policies, strategies, aid modalities, and their refugee, returnee and IDP programs and projects and implementing partners, including work plans, duration, budget, and progress reports. This information will be managed through an Aid Management Information System. 

 

• Coordinate and facilitate communication between the MoRR and donors:

MoRR-donor communications, particularly policy dialogues between the ministry and partners shall be facilitated and coordinated by GMU. GMU will convene policy and strategy development events and/or processes on the advice of the Minister and/or Deputy Minister, and provides secretariat support to such forums as may be directed by the Minister and/or Deputy Minister.

 

• Coordinate and facilitate MoRR-interministerial communication

Provide technical support for MoRR interministerial coordination and communication, hereunder implementation of ‘Memorandum of Understanding, Land Allocation Schemes Co-ordination Modalities. Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Finance and UNHCR’.

 

• Provide recommendation and advice on aid-effectiveness:

In line with agreed national and international standards and commitments GMU analyses and provides technical advice to donors and the Ministry on the effectiveness of aid to the returnee, refugee, and IDP sector.  

 

• Coordinate MoRR-partners events:

GMU organizes and/or coordinates national and international events with development partners that may cover the review of the Ministry’s strategies, grants and progress, MoRR hosting of/participation in international conferences and meetings. 

 

• Develop donor coordination capacity of Taskhil staff:

Capacity building in GMU related areas of activity will remain a priority for the GMU. The capacity building can happen in different forms including mentoring where GMU staff is assigned Taskhil staff as counterparts and through formal trainings.

 

B. Resource Mobilization, Grant and Contract Management

 

• Ensure alignment of external budget with MoRR priorities

GMU will facilitate that partner assistance implemented though the external budget to be fully aligned with MoRR program policies, strategies and priorities, as they are developed and adopted.

 

• Support to development budget process

GMU is responsible for ensuring that the external development budget is fully mapped and decisions regarding it allocation is taken in consultation with relevant direcotrates and external partners. GMU will support the core development budget process as requested by the Director of Planning and External Relations

 

• Coordinate and facilitate fund-raising activities:

GMU, with the program directorates, will identify funding gaps and support in the development of concepts and proposals for non- or under-funded priority activities. GMU provides technical assistance in presentation to donors and in fund-raising negotiations. 

 

• Mobilize support for MoRR capacity development

Identify though consultative processes within MoRR and externally with partners the need for short-term and long-term technical assistance and mobilize resources for contracting such TA.

 

• Provide technical support to MoRR programs/directorates on proposal development:

If a concept note, call for proposal or an application for development assistance is needed, the GMU provides support to the relevant program in the development of concept papers and/or proposals.

 

• Manage grants and contracts with partners:

GMU will remain the main channel of communication between the Ministry and donors. Issues regarding donor grants and assistance to the Ministry are dealt with by the GMU, likewise GMU will be responsible for management of grants to sub-contractors/implementing partners. Technical/administrative/financial, including procurement, management functions and responsibilities will be placed within the Taskhil, or in a parallel project management set-up as per donor requirements and in line with Afghan law.   

 

C. Reporting

• Coordinate regular sector progress reporting process:

The reporting section of the GMU collects regular reports from programs and partners and consolidates them into sector progress reports, including annual accountability report, quarterly reports to the public, the Parliament, and the Presidential office and as required.   

 

• Coordinate reporting processes on projects funded through core development budget:

The GMU will follow up and facilitate reporting between the Ministry and donors to ensure the reports meet the quality and timing requirements. This covers progress, financial, and procurement reports.

 

• Manage international reporting commitments:

The Ministry has several reporting commitments, following international agreements such as bilateral and tripartite agreements. The GMU is responsible for final editing of the reports and that they are submitted on time. 

 

• Regular GMU Progress Reports:

GMU will provide regular (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly???) activity reports to the Minister, Deputy Ministers and all Directors. These reports will include progress against GMU workplan within the reporting period, and include an update on flow of external funds, bottlenecks in contract agreements/implementation, issues that require executive management’s intervention, issues that require donor follow-up, emerging crises, etc.