The Afghanistan Heritage and Extractive Industries Development Initiative
It is worth mentioning as a foreword to this project that due to complex technical and political challenges, this project was put on hold at the request of HE Mr. Ghani, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is believed to possess a significant amount of minerals, which might substantially contribute to its future economic development. However, as experience of other countries has shown, this can bring unforeseen risks to natural, tangible and intangible heritage.
Across the country, around 25 mining areas of interest have been identified, some of which require strategic or large-scale mining projects. This significant number of sites enhances the possible social and physical impacts of the extractive industries sector nationwide, thus confirming the necessity of considering the governance of this process as a priority including the protection of natural and cultural heritage resources.
On 14th October 2017, the Afghan Ministry of Information & Culture (MoIC) and UNESCO signed an Agreement to support the implementation of the Project entitled ‘The Afghanistan Heritage and Extractive Industries Development Initiative – Phase II, generously financed by the World Bank Group through the Afghan Ministry of Finance (MoF). The Project, aimed at facilitating the integration of heritage protection within development initiatives, is conceived as a 3-year initiative, which continues and/or expands the results achieved during the I Phase implemented between 2014 and 2016 under a similar funding scheme.
Apart from the overall surveying of the site, its general layout and understanding, important initiatives were taken with regard to the conservation of art objects discovered onsite by the UNESCO-team in 2016. Restored objects are now on display or in storage of the Kabul National Museum.
These last six months of implementation were characterized by a number of achievements, especially related to the enhancement of the joint Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC)-Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) discussions about the Mes Aynak case. During a round of renegotiation between the MoMP and the Mining Company, it was suggested to implementan underground mining method, at least for the Central Aynak Deposit, to allow for in-situ conservation. This exploration of an integrated approach from the side of the MoMP, a tremendous step forward, led to the organization of the Mes Aynak Symposium (July 2019). The aim was to provide the government with a complete understanding of the relationship between mining and cultural resources in Mes Aynak and to examining the available options to reconcile them before approving a mining plan. The set of Recommendations established during the Symposium by the panel of experts identified Mes Aynak archaeological site as one of the only-known proto-industrial mining city in Eurasia. The follow-up meeting with H.E. the President Ghani highlighted the need to have access to more information in order for the government to be in in a better position to make an informed decision on this complicated question.
Another important achievement of the past six month has been the implementation of the structural assessment for architectural structure. The data collected allowed for the design of specific risk maps, which will be fundamental for the formulation of possible mitigation measures to be adopted for the preservation of the site, once the preferred mining method identified. As of now, the only site which seems to be salvageable in situ (with the implementation of conservation and consolidation works), regardless of the mining method selected, is MA003/Kafiriat Tepe, in view of its location outside the so-called red zone.
A report on the projects’ achievements so far, is being prepared for submission to the World Bank by the 31st of July 2020.