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The Society of Afghan Engineers made the following recommendations to modernize and institutionalize engineering and construction activities related to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan.
All of SAE’s achievements listed below are in the initial and conceptual stages as of May 1997. Final planning, design, and implementation will depend on specific identification of projects, availability of funds, and suitability of political conditions.

The Society of Afghan Engineers welcomes suggestions from experts in all relevant fields in regards to the below proposals. The reconstruction of Afghanistan is a monumental task, and will need all the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the human spirit in times of bleakness and hopelessness, a time such as now for the humbled people of Afghanistan.

SAE PROPOSALS

Establishing a Technical Committee
Reforming Construction Permit and Management Systems
Introduction of New Construction Materials
Training Technical Personnel
Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Kabul University
New City Planning and Construction
Reconstruction of Existing and Construction of Future Roadway Systems in Afghanistan
Introduction of Standard Contractual Documents in Construction Industries
Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the Existing Development Projects
Help with Future Development Projects

Establishing a Technical Committee
SAE suggested the establishment of a Technical Committee in Afghanistan. This committee would be comprised of engineers, architects, planners, legal experts, and other technical professionals. The job of this committee would involve the review and recommendation of building codes and standards. It would also involve the drafting of construction industry regulations. Studying and making recommendations for manufacturing with the use of new construction materials, in accordance with international norms and standards, would also be addressed.

The establishment of this committee was proposed to the Prime Minister by the Ministry of Planning, and approved in January of 1996. SAE will assist the committee with information regarding construction codes, sample construction regulations, code adopting procedures, and new construction materials.

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Reforming Construction Permit and Management Systems
SAE suggested a sample management system for construction industries to the Ministry of Planning in Kabul. The government generally accepted the proposed system. The Mayor of Kabul City asked SAE to prepare the details of the system for their study and decision.

The recommended system for controlling the city development and implementation of construction permits are also recommended by the (BOCA) Building Code. The details were prepared by SAE and presented to the Mayor’s office in Kabul. The Construction Division in Kabul Municipal is studying the proposal for implementation.

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Introduction of New Construction Materials
SAE provided basic information on production and use of several new construction materials, particularly recommended for the home building industry, that can potentially be fabricated inside Afghanistan utilizing mostly local material and labor.

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Training Technical Personnel
SAE has sent a number of engineering and technical manuals to various technical departments of the government in Kabul and is in the process of collecting more to be sent. SAE members will travel to Afghanistan to assist and to train government technical personnel on a continual basis under a program to be established in the future.

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Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Kabul University
SAE is preparing a proposal to secure funds from outside donors for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Kabul University. Once the funds have been secured, SAE will help the Afghan Government in planning and implementation of the project.

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New City Planning and Construction
New city planning and housing developments, in accordance with today’s health, safety, and welfare requirements, for the ravaged cities in Afghanistan is one of the prime objectives of SAE.

SAE proposed a design of a conceptual city to accommodate approximately 15,000 people. All the necessities of a typically modern city, tailored to the cultural and religious values of Afghanistan, were incorporated and was designed based on the latest city planning concepts known to the field.

Copies of the model city, along with a brief narrative of the major features, were taken to Kabul and presented to various Government Agencies. The idea, as presented, was accepted. Several locations around the City of Kabul were suggested as potential sites for the model, including an area to the Northeast of Kabul. Topographical maps of this area were given to SAE to use in the planning of an expansion of Kabul’s city limits.

SAE submitted a written recommendation to the Afghan Government to assign a group of engineers and planners from the department involved in city planning to complete a feasibility study of the proposed city. SAE will provide information and consultation required to assist the study and will introduce some of its members to participate in the feasibility study and in the future planning, design, and implementation of the plan.

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Reconstruction of Existing and Construction of Future Roadway Systems in Afghanistan
SAE will provide technical support and literature in roadway construction and maintenance to the Government Agencies. SAE is in favor of introducing the highway Code and Standards established by the American Association of State Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to Afghanistan. SAE is planning to contact AASHTO officials in this regard.
During their visit in Kabul, SAE members met with technical staff of the government in charge of highway construction and maintenance. A number of roadway maintenance videos and literature were given to the Ministry of Construction and to the Kabul Municipality Construction Department.

SAE obtained a report, prepared by the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP), for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roadway systems in Afghanistan. SAE is reviewing the report in preparation for taking an active part in the realization and implementation of the roadway reconstruction projects in Afghanistan.

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Introduction of Standard Contractual Documents in Construction Industries
SAE recommended to the Afghan Government the adoption of internationally recognized standard contract documents to preserve the contractual rights of the government as a client and the responsibilities and obligations of a contractor, domestic or foreign, for an acceptable product.
SAE is preparing a copy of the documents for the government’s study and consideration.

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Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the Existing Development Projects
SAE made some recommendations and suggestions for the rehabilitation and maintenance of existing development projects in need of immediate attention of the government’s study and consideration.

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Help with Future Development Projects
SAE indicated its preparation in providing technical consulting services in new development projects to be undertaken by the government. In response to a government request, SAE also showed its readiness in providing services to the selection process of contractors and technical staff for future government projects.

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