Park for women inaugurated in Ghazni, and school buildings inaugurated in Helmand and Baghlan provinces
New Women's Park In Ghazni Province
Musa Khan Akbarzada (Governor of Ghazni province), Dr. Husn Banu Ghazanfar (Minister of Women’s Affairs), and other Afghan and foreign officials recently attended a ribbon-cutton ceremony to officially open a new women’s park in the province of Ghazni, said a NATO news release today. The park has a shopping center, garden fountain, benches and large grassy areas. Funding for the project was provided by the Polish government. “Women finally got their own space where they can spend time reading or playing with children, but most of all where they can have their own small businesses,” said Shukria Wali, chief of the Department for Women’s Affairs to local journalists.
An official from Afghanistan’s Minstry of Education said today that a school building for the Qarah Ahmad Primary School in the Dushi district of Baghlan province was inaugurated. The school building took one year to build and it has 9 classrooms, 4 administrative rooms and 10 restrooms. It also has a surrounding wall and a well. Tables and chairs were also provided to the students.
The same official said that two new school buildings were inaugurated in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. One is for the Lashgar Bazar Boys Primary School and the other for the Lashgar Bazar Girls Primary School. One building has 8 classrooms, 4 administrative rooms and 10 restrooms, and the other building has 4 classrooms, 2 administrative rooms and 5 restrooms. Funding for both projects were provided by the goverment of Denmark.
January 3, 2011
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Posted in: Education, Human Rights, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights
Demand for Afghan made cookers leads to boom in Samangan province
Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) reported today that recently there has been a major increase in demand for locally produced pressure cookers in Afghanistan’s northern province of Samangan. As a result, less foreign made products are imported and more jobs have been created for the locals. According to the PAN report, the number of factories have dramatically increased, and about 500 people are employed by these factories throughout the province.
The report said that the increase in demand was because the locally made products are of much better quality. “Our cookers are of good quality; they are solid compared to exported ones, can cook food fast. That’s why they have a value in market,” PAN quoted Amrullah, a local of who made a pressure cooker for first time 35 years back. The PAN report also said that the provincial government have “planned to assist owners of the factories to further promote the industry”.
January 2, 2011
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Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Job Creation
Photos of new school in Herat province
Yesterday, Afghan and foreign officials, students, and community leaders attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new school building in Majkhandak village, Karukh district, Herat province. The new school has 12 classroom and even ramps in order to facilitate access to handicapped children. The project was funded by the Italian government. Here are some photos (provided by OR7 Arellano (ESP Army) RC_West PAO NCO).
Majkhandak Primary and Secondary School
Main entrance of the school
Water Supplies
Herat's Governor salutes children when arriving at Majkhandak school
One of the classrooms
December 23, 2010
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Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development
Big Day For Education In Afghanistan!
Afghan Minister of Education, Farooq Wardak
Today was a big day for education in Afghanistan. Three new school buildings were inaugurated in Sar-e Pul province, a stone laying ceremony was held for a new school building to be built in Mazar-e Sharif, and Germany pledged $24.6 million to Afghanistan’s education ministry.
According to a press release from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education, three new school buildings were inaugurated in the Sozmah Qalah district of Afghanistan’s northern province of Sar-e Pul. The first building is for the Gorgab Safla Girl’s Middle School, and it has 4 classrooms, and 2 administrative rooms. The cost of the construction project was $32,000. The second building is for the Qazaq Khaniqah Girl’s Middle School, and it has 10 classrooms, and 2 administrative rooms. The cost of the construction project was $88,000. The third building is for the Malak Girl’s Middle School, and it has 10 classrooms, and 4 administrative rooms. The cost of the construction project was $81,400.
In nearby Balkh province, a stone laying ceremony was held for a new school building that will be built for the Chaar Sang Girl’s High School in the city of Mazar-e Sharif. The building will take 9 months to build at a cost of $80,000. Once completed the school building will have 8 classrooms, 4 administrative rooms, and 6 restrooms. There will also be a surrounding wall, and a well. Tables and chairs will also be provided to the students.
Finally, an important education contract was signed today between the Afghan government (represented by Ministers of Education and Finance), and the German Charge de Affaires in Kabul. The government of Germany has pledged to provide Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education with $24.6 million. The money will be used to construct more school buildings, put together literacy course, and train school teachers.
December 22, 2010
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Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights
Water Projects Completed In Panjshir and Faryab Provinces
A project in which a reservoir and a network of pipes more than 3,200 feet long were completed recently in Panjshir province’s Dah-e Manjur village, according to a NATO News Release today. As a result, 60 families will now have access to clean drinking water. Much of the project was completed by the villagers themselves. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Abdul Rahman Kabiri, Panjshir province’s Deputy Governor said: “We shouldn’t wait for other people; we should wake up and be active. Instead of waiting for others, we need to build Panjshir ourselves”.
On Saturday, Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) reported that Afghan President Hamid Karzai attended a celebration marking the end of a water supply project in the province of Faryab. The project involved the building of a reservoir that will “supply 12,000 cubic meters of water to Andkhoi, Qarghan, Charbagh and Quramqul districts”. The project was completed in three years by a private Afghan company. “Today, we have taken another significant step towards development, indeed the reconstruction of the country,” President Karzai said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
December 20, 2010
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Posted in: Health News, Reconstruction and Development
Another school building completed in Samangan province
Earlier this week, a new building for the Sayeedabad Girl’s Middle School in the Ferooz Nakhcher district of Afghanistan’s northern province of Samangan was inaugurated, according to Afghanistan’s Bakhtar news agency.
Afghan education officials said the new building was built in 7 months at a cost of $160,000. Funding for the project came from Sweden.
The building is surrounded by a wall, and it has 8 classrooms, 4 administrative rooms, a storage room, and 8 restrooms. 110 tables and chairs were also provided to the students.
An inauguration ceremony was held in which government officials, community leaders, teachers and students attended.
December 17, 2010
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Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights
New hospital to be built in Kabul and Health Ministry to get $43 million to improve public health services
Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) reported today that Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry has said that the government of Japan has pledged to build a new hospital in Kabul.
According to the report, the 80-bed, single-story building will be constructed in the Darul-Aman neighborhood at a cost of $31, 307,646. “The hospital will have all necessary equipment and provide treatment for patients of TB, HIV and malaria”, said the PAN report.
The agreement for the project was reached between, Akil Hakimi, Afghanistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, and Shige Yuki Hiroki, Japan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan. The PAN report finally said that, “Japan has spent $2 billion since 2002 on the reconstruction of Afghanistan and promised in 2009 to provide another $5 billion over the next five years”.
December 15, 2010
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Posted in: Health News, Reconstruction and Development
Two new school buildings inaugurated in northern Afghanistan
According to an official from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education, a building for the Nasir Khan Kheil Girl’s Primary School in the Hesah Awal Kohistan district of Afghanistan’s north-eastern province of Kapisa was inaugurated today. The new school building is surrounded by a wall, and it has 9 classrooms, 1 administrative room, 12 restrooms and a storage room. The students were also provided with tables and chairs. The building was built in 7 months at a cost of $146,000. Funding for the project came from the government of Denmark.
Also, in the northern province of Samangan, a new building was inaugurated in the Hazrat Sultan district for the Kulchira Girl’s Middle School. A ceremony was held and it was attended by teachers, students, community leaders, and Afghan government officials, including provincial governor, Khairullah Anush. This school building, just like the one built in Kapisa, is surrounded by a wall. It has 16 classrooms, 4 administrative rooms, 12 restrooms, and 4 rooms for security. It also has a well. The building was built in 1 year at a cost of $300,000. Funding for the project came from the government of Turkey.
December 13, 2010
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Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights
Major Gas Pipeline Project Accord Signed!
After many years of discussions and negotiations, the governments of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan and India have finally signed an accord to build a $7.6 billion pipeline that will take 33 billion of cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and India.
For Afghanistan’s economy, this is great news. “Afghanistan will get 1.8 million cubic meters of gas in a period of two years but will increase to 5.1 billion cubic meters afterwards, and hundreds of families residing near the pipeline will benefit from the project,” Deputy spokesman for President Karzai, Siamak Herawi told Afghanistan’s Tolo news. Herawi also said that “Afghanistan will earn up to 400 million dollars through transit, after the project is successfully implemented.”
The contract was officially signed by President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov of Tukmenistan, President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan and the Indian Oil and Gas Minister, Murli Dayra.
Below is the text from President Hamid Karzai’s speech at the event:
My brother Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan,
Excellency Asif Ali Zardari, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
Excellency Murli Dayra Minister of Oil and Natural Gas of India,
Honorable Haruhiko Kuroda, President of the Asian Development Bank,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am delighted of the opportunity to attend today’s meeting which marks a historical milestone in the implementation of TAPI Gas Pipeline project, a prominent example of regional economic cooperation in the area of energy in our region. Let me express my sincere gratitude to you, President Berdimuhamedov for hosting this highly important meeting and for the warm hospitality extended to us.
Allow me to also to express my special thanks to the Asian Development Bank and to you Mr. Haruhiko Kuroda for your efforts in revitalizing this project and the continued support provided by the Asian Development Bank towards realization of this large scale regional project.
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
The people of Afghanistan attach a particular importance to an expanded regional cooperation and projects of regional nature and thus, from the very early days of the Interim Administration, I have closely been following up issues related to this huge regional undertaking. TAPI Gas Pipeline project and other such projects of this nature, in addition to ensuring enormous economic benefits through creation of employment and generation of income for the people of participating countries, play a constructive role in strengthening relations between the people of the region, enhance economic ties, build further confidence between the governments of our region. TAPI Gas Pipeline project will contribute significantly to energy security and will provide a reliable source of energy to our countries.
I am pleased with the level and pace of progress in the work of TAPI’ Technical Working Group and the Steering Committee and further, I am glad that following almost a decade of efforts by our countries, today we are witnessing the signing of Inter-Governmental Agreement and Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement. Signing of these agreements will take us one step closer to the implementation of this project. I hope that the relevant organs of countries party to this project will make every possible effort to expedite the implementation process. Afghanistan will make every effort to ensure the security of the pipeline.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On this very important occasion, let me once again highlight our vision for regional cooperation which is to contribute to regional stability and prosperity, and to enhance the conditions for Afghanistan to resume its central role as a land bridge in this region. We will be delighted to share the unique benefits offered by our centrality with our neighbors and countries in the region and provide them with further opportunity to make the best use of Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan as an excellent forum and an effective tool to this end.
Given the economic potential that exists in our countries, it is my profound desire that this quadrilateral cooperation framework which has been formed on the basis of our determination to implement TAPI Gas Pipeline project, can be further expanded to other areas of mutual interests and hence, be a major contributor to regional integration and improved regional stability and prosperity. At the end, let me once again thank you Mr. President for your personal support to this project and for your efforts to make this important meeting taking place in historical Central Asian city of Ashgabat and for the kind and warm hospitality extended to us by the people and Government of Turkmenistan.
Thank you,
December 11, 2010
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Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development, Security in Afghanistan
Two new school buildings completed and an agreement signed to build another
Governor Habiba Sarobi
Two new school buildings have been opened this week, and an agreement has been signed to build another one, according to an official from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education.
Today, Habiba Sorabi, the governor of Bamyan province, and Mohammad Reza Ida, the province’s head of the education department, students, and teachers attended an inauguration ceremony for a new building for the Rasalat Shahedan Girl’s Middle School in Bamyan province. The building, which was built at a cost of $98,000, has 5 classrooms, 2 administrative rooms, and 6 restrooms. A well was also built, and furniture has been provided for the students to use in the school. The funding for the construction project was provided by the Arghosha Association.
Earlier this week, in the province of Ghazni, a new building was opened for the Shaharak Mahajareen Primary School which educates both boys and girls. The building, which was built in a period of 5 months, with $220,000 of funding from the Polish government, has 8 classrooms, 4 administrative rooms, and 8 restrooms. A well was also put it, and a football field and a volleyball court was also constructed for the students.
Elsewhere in Afghanistan’s northern province of Takhar, an agreement was signed today between the German government’s GTZ organization and Abdul Wahab Zafari, the province’s head of the education department, to construct a new building for the Bibi Hajira Girl’s High School. Once completed, the building will have 8 classrooms.
December 8, 2010
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Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights
New road and building construction started in Kandahar province
Kandahar, Afghanistan
A ceremony was held recently to mark the beginning of a 13-mile road construction project in the Panjwa’i district of Afghanistan’s southern province of Kandahar. According to a NATO news release issued today, the road will be constructed between Spin Danal and Zangabad village. It will be 26 feet (8 meters) wide and it will be ready to be used in 2 months.
Elsewhere in the province, in Kandahar City, construction has recently started on a new Agriculture and Livestock Directorate building. The building will have 2 floors and 20 rooms, and it will take 9 months to build at a cost of $145,000. It will be built by the Green United Group construction company. Fruits such as grapes and pomegranates are currently grown and exported to foreign countries from Kandahar province. The new building will help in the process of further developing agriculture in the province.
December 7, 2010
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Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development
Afghan cricket team makes history – wins ICC Intercontinental Cup trophy
Captain Nawroz Mangal receives the International Cricket Council (ICC) Intercontinental Cup trophy
Today, the Afghan national cricket team made Afghan sports fans extra proud of them, by defeating Scotland in the 3-day ICC Intercontinental Cup 2009-10 cricket final. Afghanistan 171 and 124 for 3 beat Scotland 212 and 82 by seven wickets. The match was held from December 2nd to the 4th in the Dubai Sports City stadium.
Starting from day one, the Scottish team was overwhelmed with outstanding bowling from Hamid Hassan and Shapoor Zadran. On day two, the Scots fought hard, but towards the end of the day, the momentum was clearly on the side of the Afghans. On day 3, the Scots were facing an uphill battle. Afghan batsmen Mohammad Shahzad and captain Nawroz Mangal ensured the victory for the Afghan team.
Afghan bowler Hamid Hassan, who ended as the top wicket-taker of the tournament was named the Man of the Match.
December 4, 2010
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Posted in: Afghan Sports News
