UNAMA Military Advisors visit Nuristan PRT

By U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne

Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Military advisors from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan visited the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team in eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, Feb. 4 and 5.

Swedish Army Lt. Col. Eric Svensson, a native of Stockholm, Sweden, and New Zealand Army Lt. Col. Simon Williams, a native of Wellington, New Zealand, are the United Nations’ military advisors for the Kunar, Laghman, Nanaghar and Nuristan provinces in eastern Afghanistan. Their job is to relay information about security in the provinces and facilitate communication between the United Nations and International Security Assistance Forces.

UNAMA’s main goals are to manage the UN’s humanitarian relief, recovery, reconstruction and development activities in coordination with the Afghan government.

Both Svensson and Williams visited the Nuristan PRT to achieve these goals, and to get a better overall picture of the issues facing Nuristan.

“We gained a lot of insight as to the programs and development of sustainable activities taken on by the PRT,” Williams said. “We now know the extent of influence of the PRT and maneuver units have in Nuristan.”

During their visit, the advisors met with many of the departments in the PRT.

The advisors and PRT departments were able to discuss several pressing issues in Nuristan, including what the military situation is, what type of projects are being implemented in the province, and what kind of programs are used by the PRT to reach the local people.

“This visit was a good example of the relationship that should be shared by UNAMA and ISAF,” Svensson said. “It’s within our mandates to support each other. Nuristan PRT modeled how to do this.”

Williams and Svensson were surprised by the challenges Nuristan faces compared to other provinces. Due to the terrain of the region and lack of roads it is very hard to reach many parts of Nuristan, including the capital in Parun.

“We didn’t know the difficulties that Nuristan has in terms of outreach because of specific conditions and security in the region,” Svensson said.

Both men hope that through this visit they can express to their civilian counterparts the importance of the Nuristan PRT’s mission and help provide any assistance they can to Nuristan and the PRT.

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Swedish Army Lt. Col. Eric Svensson, a native of Stockholm, Sweden, and New Zealand Army Lt. Col. Simon Williams, a native of Wellington, New Zealand, military advisors for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, speak before a meeting in eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, Feb. 4. The UNAMA military advisors came to Nuristan to meet with the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team, and to see the issues facing Nuristan. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt Natassia Cherne Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Swedish Army Lt. Col. Eric Svensson, a native of Stockholm, Sweden, and New Zealand Army Lt. Col. Simon Williams, a native of Wellington, New Zealand, military advisors for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, and Leah Kaplan, of Denver, Colo., a representative of the U.S. Agency for International Development, speak with local leaders in eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, Feb. 4. The UNAMA military advisors came to Nuristan to meet with the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team, and to see the issues facing Nuristan. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt Natassia Cherne Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)