12 November 2002
Afghan Highway Reconstruction Officially Launched
(U.S. pledged $80 million towards 36 month project) (470)
Reconstruction of Afghanistan's main highway, stretching from Kabul
through Kandahar to Herat officially began with a November 10 ground
breaking ceremony officiated by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and U.S.
Ambassador to Afghanistan Robert Finn.
According to a November 10 press release from the U.S. Agency for
International Development, the 1000 kilometer road is Afghanistan's
main highway, and the project will take approximately 36 months to
complete.
The press release said the three donors for the project, Japan, Saudi
Arabia and the United States, together pledged $180 million, with $80
million of that sum coming from the United States.
Following is the text of a USAID press release on the highway
groundbreaking ceremony:
(begin text)
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-4320
2002-126
November 10, 2002
Contact: USAID Press Office
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN -- On Sunday, November 10, Afghanistan's President
Hamid Karzai and U.S. Ambassador Robert P. Finn officiated a ground
breaking ceremony to mark the first day of construction of
Afghanistan's main highway, known as Highway 1, from Kabul to Kandahar
to Herat. U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission
Representative in Kabul, Elisabeth Kvitashvili, attended, as well as
representatives of co-funding partners Saudi Arabia and Japan will
attend.
Reconstruction of the more than 1,000 kilometer highway will take an
estimated 36 months to complete and will employ thousands of Afghans.
The project will cost an estimated $250 million; $180 million has been
pledged to date from the United States, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
The U.S. Commitment
The United States will provide $80 million through the USAID. This
includes USAID funding for de-mining efforts along the highway, which
will be carried out by the United Nations Mine Action Center.
"We'll help develop a modern infrastructure so that Afghan
entrepreneurs will be able to move products from one city to the next,
and so that people will be able to find work, they'll be able to put
food on the table," pledged U.S. President George Bush. Afghan
President Hamid Karzai has stated that reconstruction for the
country's principal road system is key to Afghanistan's economic
recovery.
The U.S. - supported reconstruction begins south of Kabul. When winter
weather conditions require suspension of work on the Kabul to Kandahar
portion, USAID will commence work on the Kandahar to Herat portion.
This will allow for year-round construction.
Engineering design and supervision services are provided by the Louis
Berger Company. Afghan Reconstruction Company (ARC) is responsible for
construction of the initial 49 kilometers of the road.
A Collaborative Effort
In collaboration with the Islamic Transitional Government of
Afghanistan, the United States, Japan, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
agreed in September to reconstruct the highway. The Japanese
government is expected to contribute $50 million and the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia $50 million. The Japanese government will begin its
reconstruction operations from Kandahar to Kabul by the end of the
year.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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