The Law-and-Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA), established in May 2002 as part of a nation-building initiative, has been instrumental in enabling legal frameworks, strengthening law enforcement agencies, and promoting the rule of law in Afghanistan. Adroit Associates conducted a strategic assessment of 20 years of LOTFA, representing an unprecedented, collaborative deep dive into the impact and efficacy of international efforts to bolster Afghanistan's rule of law. This comprehensive evaluation engaged 20 donor countries, senior UNDP officials, and senior diplomats, including representatives from key donor countries such as Canada, the US, and Japan, as it dissected over $6 billion of investment.
The assessment employed a mixed-methods approach, combining an extensive secondary literature review, a questionnaire-based online survey administered via Google Forms, and in-depth key informant interviews (KIIs). Data analysis included Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis, Value for Money (VfM) Analysis, and Gender Analysis. The quantitative analysis was conducted using SPSS 25.0 on a clean, coded dataset extracted from Google Database, while qualitative insights were meticulously analyzed using ATLAS.ti (ver. 7.5.16) software.
This analysis not only highlighted the pivotal role LOTFA played in supporting Afghanistan's law enforcement institutions but also unearthed critical challenges—such as strategic oversight, operational inefficiencies, and the complexities of working within Afghanistan's unique context—that must be addressed to inform future policy and programming decisions. Through this assessment, Adroit Associates has provided valuable insights into the long-term outcomes of LOTFA’s interventions and their implications for international development efforts in Afghanistan.
Key Highlights:
- 20 years of LOTFA interventions analyzed
- Over $6 billion of investment assessed
- 20 donor countries engaged to inform future policy and programming decisions