Showing posts with label APPF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label APPF. Show all posts

Sunday, November 12, 2017

APPF and ABP to Fall Under the MoD

APPF unit assigned to guard the Tarakhil power plant
(Photo DVIDS, March 201@)

The Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) and Afghan Border Police (ABP) will no longer be part of the Ministry of Interior (MoI). The organizations will now fall under the Ministry of Defense (MoD). A Defense ministry spokesman says they will receive more equipment and better training. The APPF and ABP will take on new missions. They will be part of the 'Hold' phase of 'Clear', 'Hold', and 'Build'. 4,000 members of the ABP will remain under the MoI to secure borders, airports, and custom stations. Read more in "Public Protection Forces And Border Police to Join the Army", Tolo News, November 6, 2017.


Monday, February 3, 2014

Adviser to APPF Describes His Work

A member of the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce (CEW) provides us insight into his duties and responsibilities as an adviser to the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF). Read more in "Analyst gets top honors for work in Afghanistan", Robins Air Force Base News Release, January 31, 2014.

Friday, April 6, 2012

APPF To Drive up Security Costs of USAID Projects

The costs of security for USAID projects by using the APPF is sure to go up according to observers who are trying to tabulate costs.  See "Consensus On Afghanistan: Transitioning to the Afghan Public Protection Force Will Cost More", Afghanistan Study Group, April 4, 2012.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Decree 62 and the APPF- Rough Start

Presidential Decree 62 eliminating private security companies from Afghanistan and replacing them with the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) is not being met. Read more in "Afghanistan's Endless Private-Security War", Harper's Magazine, April 3, 2012.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

USAID Projects Threatened by Use of APPF Guards

The Professional Services Council (PSC) warned Congress that a mandatory shift from private security contractors to the Afghan Public Protection Force or APPF will jeopardize USAID development projects in Afghanistan and put USAID personnel at risk. This warning took place during a Congressional hearing on the APPF. The PSC provided a written statement and oral testimony. See "New Security Paradigm in Afghanistan Could Jeopardize USAID Projects", Professional Services Council, March 29, 2012.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

APPF Profits On USAID Projects Offend US Lawmakers

The increased costs for security associated with the use of the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) for USAID development projects has offended a number of US lawmakers. The lawmakers feel we are being held hostage by the Afghan government and that we should just say "NO" to paying for the increased cost of security and just cancel the USAID projects. Read more in "US lawmakers offended by spike in Afghan guards' costs", Reuters.com, March 29, 2012.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Afghan Security Guards (APPF) To Cost More

According to a recent news report the switch of security functions from private security firms to the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) will increase security costs of development projects by 50% while reducing the level of protection. The news article cites the acting Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) - Steven J. Trent - for the source of information. Read more in "U.S. to pay more for Afghan security guards, auditor says", The Washington Post, March 28, 2012.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

MoI Continues to Sign Contracts in Transition from Private Security Companies to APPF

KABUL, Afghanistan – The Afghan Public Protection Force continues to make progress in taking over security for development work around the country. Over the last week, it has signed 10 contracts for security with companies executing development projects for the U.S. Agency for International Development. The APPF concluded six contracts with Development Alternatives International (DAI). These contracts will provide security for USAID projects including Regional Afghan Municipalities Program-East (RAMP-Up East), RAMP-UP West, RAMP-UP North, Afghanistan Stabilization Initiative-East (ASI-East), Agriculture Credit Enhancement (ACE), and Incentives Driving Economic Alternatives North, East and West (IDEA-NEW).
The Afghan Public Protection Program (APPF) got off to a slow start and has continued to fall behind on its timeline and reports of inefficiency, corruption, and difficult negotiations. But, according to the NTM-A article (see link below) it seems to be making progress. (Did you think that NTM-A would say the APPF was doing poorly?)

"APPF signs additional contracts to secure development projects", NTM-A, March 20, 2012.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) Revises Implementation Schedule; Extension Approved

The implementation of the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) is being slowed down once again. The negotiations are taking more time than expected and the transition is not going as quickly as the Afghan government wants. Some sources have said the process is "chaotic". The entire transition to APPF for security was supposed to have been completed by March 21, 2012. However, the Afghan government just provided an extension of 30 to 90 days depending on the company, organization, or activity.

Thus far (as of March 18, 2012) the APPF has signed 16 contracts with companies for security services and has licensed 14 Risk Management Companies or RMCs. It has been reported that there are a total of 75 companies that need to sign contracts for a larger number of development projects. Corruption is playing its usual part in the contract signing and licensing procedures.

Many private development companies said the transition to the APPF is putting the projects and the employees at risk. They say that the APPF will not be able to provide an adequate level of security and they worry that they have little control over the training and the procedures.

Read more in "Afghan government gives private security firms more time before ban", The Washington Times, March 18, 2012. For more on the poor implementation of the APPF see "Afghan private security handover looking messy", The Washington Times, February 12, 2012.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

APPF is Expanding its Role in Taking over Private Security Company Functions and Responsibilities

Photo by USAF SSgt Terri Barriere
Afghanistan is steadily progressing in the transition from private security firms to the Afghan Public Protection Force or APPF for the security of development projects. This is in accordance with Karzai's presidential decree number 62. See a related story - "APPF assumes security responsibility for Tarakhil Power Plant", ISAF News Release, March 15, 2012.

Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) Starts Train-the-Trainer Course

KABUL, Afghanistan — More than 60 new lieutenants began the train-the-trainer course at the Afghan Public Protection Force Training Center this week.

The group includes 36 officers who recently graduated from a Turkish police officer training course; the other 27 are graduates from the Afghan National Police Academy.

They will undergo a six-week program of instruction at the training center. The course of instruction consists of the basic static guard course, the convoy operations course and the personal security detail course. About half the officers will then disperse around Afghanistan as part of mobile APPF training teams and the others will be sent to the various APPF zone headquarters to help manage APPF operations around the country.

The APPF is creating mobile training teams in order to increase its overall training capacity, according to Richard Power, senior education and training advisor for the APPF Advisory Group. The APPF training center is currently able to train about 220 guards per month at a time. When renovations are completed at the training center and mobile training teams are up and running, the APPF will have the ability to train up to 1,500 guards per month, said Power.
Story source:  "APPF Lieutenants Start Train-the-Trainer Course", Allied Command Operations NATO, March 14, 2012.  Learn more about the Afghan Public Protection Force here.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Use of APPF for Security in Afghanistan Limiting Development Firms Operations

Some private firms that do development work for the United States government in Afghanistan are apprehensive of the security that will be provided by the Afghan Public Protection Force or APPF.  The deteriorating situation in Afghanistan has caused a reassessment of whether the development firms can continue their work. Billions of dollars of projects are at risk. At least two companies have decided to finish their current projects and then leave Afghanistan and other firms have slowed down the pace of the projects in order to protect their workers. The aid workers are very critical of the switch from private security firms to the Afghan Public Protection Force. They point out that the Afghan National Police (ANP) is one of the least effective institutions in the country rife with corruption and inefficiency and doubt that the APPF will do any better than the ANP. The Ministry of Interior has control of both organizations. Read more in "Security Fears Lead Groups to Rethink Work in Afghanistan", by Matthew Rosenberg and Graham Bowley, The New York Times, March 10, 2012.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Will USAID Workers Be at Greater Risk With Switch to APPF Security?

Officials in Washington are concerned about the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) assuming the security for USAID projects and workers.  President Karzai has mandated the use of APPF security personnel for all development projects.  Learn more about the APPF here and USAID's switch to the APPF for security here.

Friday, March 9, 2012

APPF Signs Contracts with Three Companies for Security Services in Afghanistan

The Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) signed three contracts with International Relief and Development (IRD) for security services for development projects that IRD is performing for the U.S. Agency for International Development. The APPF also signed contracts with Louis Berger - Black and Veatch, and Afghan Fleet & Group Services (AFGS). AFGS is an Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA).  Read a news release on the signing of the APPF contracts -  "Afghan Public Protection Force signs first contracts", ISAF News Release, March 8, 2012.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

APPF, Private Security Contractors, and Congressman McKeon's Bill in Congress

Congressman McKeon has introduced a bill in Congress that would severely restrict the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.  His bill would require U.S. bases in Afghanistan to be protected by U.S. troops - instead of Afghans from the newly established Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) or private security contractors (Afghan security guards).  Read the bill text here.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Move in U.S. House to Bar Afghans and Private Contractors from Guarding U.S. Bases

In a move that is sure to complicate President Obama's withdrawal timetable the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee wants to bar private security contractors and Afghans from guarding U.S. bases in Afghanistan. The legislation is in response to "insider attacks" by Afghan security forces against coalition troops and poor reports on the newly established Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF). Read more in "House chairman wants private security contractors, Afghans barred from guarding US bases in Afghanistan", Associated Press article on Fox News, March 2, 2012.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) Official Website

The Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF), under the direction of the Ministry of Interior, has launched its official website. The APPF website provides APPF customers with information on the process for contracting with the APPF and outlines the procedures necessary for Risk Management Companies (RMCs) or security companies to obtain risk management licenses. Also included on the website is background information about the APPF to include the Presidential Decree of August 2010 that established the APPF and some news updates on the progress that Afghanistan is making in its shift of security functions from private security companies (PMCs) to the Afghan Public Protection Force.

The Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) website can be viewed here www.appf.gov.af.  The website has lots of information and is worth looking at if you (as an NGO, implementing partner, or other entity) are in need of the APPF security services in Afghanistan.

View an ISAF press release about the launch of the APPF website here.

There is some news that just won't get posted on the official Afghanistan website; for instance critical news reports about the shortcomings of the APPF program, how the private security firms are having weapons confiscated, or how the APPF is already seeing signs of the ever-present corruption found everywhere else within the Afghanistan government. Click here for information and news articles about the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF).

Sunday, February 19, 2012

APPF Recruiting Security Guards from Afghanistan's Private Security Firms

The leadership of the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) is recruiting Afghans who are currently employed with private security firms in Afghanistan.  In accordance with a decree by President Karzai all private security firms will cease operations soon. The functions and responsibilities of the private security firms will be assumed by the APPF.  Many critics have weighed in on this change and not many believe it is a great idea. The track record of the Afghan government to run almost any program is horrible; with waste, ineffectiveness and inefficiency prevalent.  Security for the NGOs, international organizations, and ISAF will now become more expensive.  There is no confidence in the APPF to provide security at the level that the private security firms did.  And there is the corruption factor - many see the APPF as another avenue for Karzai and his cronies to skim more money off the top.  Read a "sunny" assessment of the APPF program provided to us by NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan in "Afghan Public Protection Force Leadership Engaging with Private Security Guards", NTM-A, February 18, 2012.

Friday, February 10, 2012

APPF - Another Afghan Fiasco?

President Karzai has been advocating for the abolition of private security firms in Afghanistan for a number of years.  He has now charged the Afghan Public Protection Force or APPF with absorbing the various security firms by March 21, 2012. Organizations (USAID, NGOs, ISAF, etc.) that depend on the protection of the APPF supervised security companies are not impressed thus far. They don't think the program is ready and see signs of cost overruns and corruption already.

Read more in "Afghan private security handover looking messy", Boston.com, February 10, 2012.