The Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development (ACBAR) is an independent forum founded in 1988 in response to the demand from NGOs working with Afghan refugees in Pakistan and across the border in Afghanistan to more efficiently coordinate assistance and delivery of services. With its main office in Kabul since 2002, ACBAR brings together more than 200 National and International NGOs working in in all sectors of humanitarian assistance and development in Afghanistan. Based on our three strategic pillars of Information and Coordination, Advocacy and Enabling Environment, and Capacity Building, ACBAR’s activities support our members to effectively deliver services and implement programs across Afghanistan, as well as provide services that promote ongoing organizational development and learning. ACBAR is committed to providing an efficient platform for members to carry out effective humanitarian, development, and peace building activities in Afghanistan. The members are the drive behind ACBAR, and their active participation is essential to ACBAR’s continued dynamism.
With the ongoing humanitarian reset, ACBAR is taking a stronger role providing programmatic coordination for our members and implementing NGO’s in numerous areas, including on emergency response coordination and sub-national coordination. With presence in seven regions and in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan, ACBAR is naturally positioned to ensure that humanitarian and early recovery programs implemented by NGO’s in the event of a rapid-onset emergency are done so in way that is effective and efficient, providing the most amount of support and agency to local communities impacted by ongoing and potential shocks. As part of our overall strategic vision to support more locally-led coordination at the sub-national level, ACBAR is expanding our team to lead these increased responsibilities.