Occasionally, the National Solidarity Programme sponsors events and activities to stimulate discussion between Community Development Councils and to raise awareness of the success of the NSP and in particular the CDCs are having in reducing poverty and strengthening local governance structures in Afghanistan. Information regarding these events and activities will be posted here as they become available.

Since the inception of the National Solidarity Programme, it has brought forward ample experiences of community development and has raised hopes for the rehabilitation and development among thousands of communities across Afghanistan.

The first CDC National Consultation Conference took place in Kabul August 21-25, 2005 in the Loya Jirga tent with representation from Community Development Councils, donors, government ministry representatives, NGOs and members of the international community participated. The conference was mainly about the future role of the CDCs as the only democratically elected and self-governing institutions at the community level and revision and evaluation of the NSP's achievements, challenges and future opportunities.

The Jirga participants concluded the conference by drafting a resolution to address the challenges faced by the CDCs.

A National CDC Consultation Conference took place in Kabul from November 10 to 15, 2007 in the Loya Jirga tent to discuss and debate about the current and future role of CDCs in Afghanistan.

Co-sponsored by the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) and the Independent Directorate for Local Administration/Governance (IDLG), the jirga was an opportunity for CDC delegates, government ministries representatives, NGOs, and members of international community to observe and exchange views and experiences about the role of CDCs, which have been established in 345 of a total of 398 districts and provincial centers, throughout all 34 provinces of the country.

Jirga participants drafted nine resolutions designed to improve the working relationship between the government and CDCs across Afghanistan. The resolutions also addressed issues related to how CDCs should operate in the villages.

In addition to representatives from all levels of government, national and international NGOs, and participants from other interested groups, approximately 500 CDC male and female representatives from all 34 provinces attended the conference. 

October 21, 2010: The Third CDC National Consultation Conference commenced on October 19, 2010. On the first two days of the gathering, the CDCs representatives held considerable discussions in an attempt to share the experiences and lessons they had learned during projects implementation in their communities. 

 Meanwhile, on the second day of the conference, the CDC representatives from all 34 provinces of Afghanistan had an opportunity to meet H.E Hamid Karzai, the president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in the Presidential Palace.

In addition to speeches delivered by other participants, H.E Ustad Muhammad Karim Khalili, the second vice president, H.E Jarullah Mansoori, the MRRD minister, H.E Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, the minister of the Ministry of Finance, H.E Husan Bano Ghazanfar, the acting minister of the MoWA and Dr. Ashraf Ghani, the former minister of the Ministry of Finance have taken turns making tremendous speeches in relation to the importance of the CDCs and women's participation in decision-making process.

At the end of the conference, the CDCs representatives prepared and endorsed a resolution comprising a number of stipulations which was read publicly to the participants. The resolution proposes that the Afghan National Assembly approve the CDC by-law. Moreover, the resolution focuses on the practical implementation of the endorsements and sanctions made in the Second CDC Conference, held on November 15, 2007.

The Conducting of the Third CDC National Consultation Conference was an effective and determined effort to share experiences, enhance capacities as well as ensure closer coordination between ministries and the MRRD development programs in particular.