Since its inception, one of the long-term objectives of the Hiroshima Fellowship for Afghanistan was the creation of a real Fellowship Community,  to serve as a trusted source of expertise and advice on capacity-building and training activities in Afghanistan, both at the local and national levels. The Fellowship, now starting its fifth Cycle - developed upon the premise that no international programme is sustainable in the long run unless it is meaningfully endorsed and guided by its national participants. UNITAR's Afghan Alumni, too, frequently expressed their motivation to maintain and expand the spirit and networks created by the Fellowship over the years.  Discussions around the establishment of an association of Afghan experts, trained by UNITAR (in keeping with the original objectives) started seriously in early 2007 within the Fellowship community.

Brain-storming continued throughout last year, amongst Alumni and  with UNITAR, and in March 2008 the Afghan Consultancy, Training and Research Association (ACTRA) was officially registered with the Ministry of Justice of Afghanistan. The Association aims to be a professional expert group bringing together members from various disciplines, functioning as a unique  reference point in support of  training activities in and for Afghanistan. It is non-profit, non-governmental and non-political.

The 2008 Cycle of the UNITAR Fellowship has already benefited from ACTRA’ establishment as its members actively participated in the selection process of the 2008 Fellows and in the official launch of the 2008 Cycle.

The first official meeting of the Association took place on 1 May 2008 and was focused on the preparation for the official launch by UNITAR alumni in Afghanistan.

UNITAR is delighted by this unique development and proud of its outstanding Afghan Alumni.  It hopes that the Association will one day become a reference in capacity building for national and international actors in Afghanistan.