MoFA says shrinking diplomatic corps to save 1b afs

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Tuesday said one hundred posts of the ministry would be decreased and its six departments merged in order to save one billion afghanis annually.

Edrees Zaman, acting foreign minister, told a press conference here that the ministry’s reform plan would focus on four areas.

He said the reform plan was aimed at changing foreign policy, the way of employment, promotions, award and punishment system. Under the plan, he added, the working processes would be changed and technological infrastructure developed. Facility would be provided for standard consular services.

Based on this plan, over one hundred positions would be cut while 78 other positions inside the country would be driven to retirement.

The decrease in positions would apply to all foreign missions of the country. Based on positions’ shrinking, the number of diplomats in 44 missions would be less than five; their number in 13 missions would be six and in another 13 missions the number of diplomats would be more than six.

Zaman said around one billion afghanis would be saved annually after shrinking the diplomatic crops. “This money would be spent on capacity building in the ministry and purchasing properties for foreign missions of the country as well as meeting other needs in first years”, Zaman said. He added the reforms would be implemented over next two years.

About employment, he said, people should be hired based on qualification and after a competition in the ministry in future.

“Knowing one foreign language is minimum precondition for a person to be employed in MoFA and Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) and International Relation Commission of the Wolesi Jirga would be watching the employment process”, he said.

About working process and technological infrastructure, he said that the current paper-based system and communications through email were no longer responsive for current needs and the new system would help the ministry do its works more effectively.

On standard consular services, Zaman said implementation of technological program of the ministry would help its consular and legal services inside and outside Afghanistan to be more responsive.

Mds/ma