Afghanistan 2011

In 2011 HQ ARRC deployed for a one-year mission as the core of a newly formed ISAF Joint Command Headquarters (IJC) in Kabul, Afghanistan. As IJC, HQ ARRC was instrumental in implementing the road map outlined by the November 2010 Lisbon Summit transition principles. These principles, which became fully incorporated in the transition implementation process, included:

• Ensuring a better alignment of NATO/ISAF assistance with Afghan national priority programmes

• Working through increasingly capable Afghan institutions

• Adjusting ISAF’s troop profile and configuration with the view to meeting critical security, training and mentoring needs

• Further strengthening Afghan National Security Forces capacity

• Supporting the evolution of the international civilian effort, including that of the ISAF Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), to enable greater Afghan capacity and leadership

By July 2012 ISAF comprised 50 troop contributing nations. The IJC provided comprehensive operational level planning necessary to link the strategic ISAF efforts for transition to the tactical implementation under each multinational Regional Command. HQ ARRC assisted each Regional Command to apply these principles along the security, governance, and development lines of effort. Transitioning the security of each province meant increasing the capacity and capability of Afghan National Security Forces. Enabling growth along governance and development lines meant supporting the planning efforts and activities of civil-military organisations, the Provincial Reconstruction Teams, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and international governmental organisations (IGOs).