For the security and stability the Afghan government is nearly completely dependent on foreign support. Although the Afghan army and police force are trained increasingly better and their influence increases in the country the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF, under the guidance of the NATO) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF, under the guidance of the Coalition Forces) remain the most important guarantee that Afghanistan will not descend again to a state of anarchy.

The contribution of ISAF in Afghanistan has been aimed to look after stability which is necessary for effective rebuilding. For that the so called Provincial Reconstruction teams (PRT's) have been set up. They operate in the meanwhile in 18 of the 34 provinces

The PRT's are good examples of close civil military cooperation in Afghanistan: the military takes care for the security in the province. The civil component of the PRT contribution is to matter such as good governance and rebuilding activities. The Netherlands has a PRT in the province Baghlan (North Afghanistan) and will take over in august the PRT in Uruzgan (south Afghanistan)

Outside the PRT's the Netherlands has also been closely involved in other ways to improve security and stability in Afghanistan. An important program where the Netherlands contributes to is the so called DIAG process: dismantling of illegal armed groups. On estimate there exist between 1800-2000 of these groups trough out the country and are mainly remainings of the 28 years of war which infested Afghanistan to the fall of the Taliban. The DIAG program have been aimed to disarm these groups and try to reintegrate them back into society. The Netherlands have in an equal manner contributed in the DDR program the re integration of the old Afghan security troops in the new Afghan army or other (civil) jobs.

Another important element for stability is the drug bay tidings. Afghanistan is one of the largest producers of poppy and. This combined with the illegal trade ensures much disorder and frequently armed crime. The Netherlands together with United Kingdom has financed in North Afghanistan a contra narcotics centre (€ 5 millions) The Netherlands also wants to ensure good alternatives for farmers who are at this moment depended on poppy for their incomes.

Other important areas for special attention of the Netherlands are mine clearance, weapon and ammunition destruction. Training of the Afghan police force and the Afghan army.