Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review

The author who from November 2006 to May 2007 commanded the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan's Ghor Province discusses PRT achievements and challenges. The article provides information on the PRT mission, organization, tasks and the ways to implement them. It is recognized that the PRT is given a mission that requires efforts in the stabilization and reconstruction areas. While outlining the main challenges - the small number of troops, inadequate counternarcotics effort, the gap between stability and reconstruction, low capacity of the Government of Afghanistan - it is suggested that the PRT has achieved significant results in a stabilization area while achievements in the reconstruction domain are not so impressive. In order to be successful, the PRT needs to focus mostly on stabilization tasks involving local authorities and other partners while looking for larger international donors who could focus on reconstruction.