Douglas Alexander’s visit to Afghanistan
5 March 2009
Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development
visited Afghanistan on 3 March and met President Karzai to brief him on plans to
spend an extra £50 million over four years to fight poverty in his country.
He then made a whistle stop tour of Helmand, where British troops are fighting the Taliban, to see for himself new reconstruction projects and the changes that had taken place in the province’s capital Lashkar Gah since his first visit two years ago.
The announcement on new aid brings the total to £510m, which will go towards creating jobs, fighting the drugs trade and helping develop the Afghan Government in the next four years.
The additional £50m will finance two crucial strands of development work.
- A further £32 million for large scale infrastructure projects in Helmand where British troops are fighting the Taleban. Projects include a major road linking the towns of Lashkar Gah and Gereshk. The money will also contribute to building a hydro-electric plant in order to triple the power supply for the bustling commercial town of Gereshk.
- A further £18 million for agriculture and rural enterprise development to help provide more jobs and economic opportunities for young men and women in rural areas of Afghanistan.
International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said: “This four-year promise to contribute £510 million to Afghanistan reaffirms our long term commitment to helping this once proud country recover from 30 years of war.
“I was pleased to be able to tell President Karzai today that we are adding to our pledge by giving £50 million over four years for counter narcotic measures and big infrastructure projects.
“There is no doubt that the lives of ordinary Afghans have improved immeasurably since the Taleban were overthrown in 2001. And they face a crucial year with a vote to elect a new president. We wish the people of Afghanistan well for the future and are happy to play our part in their development.”
During his visit to Lashkar Gah in Helmand Mr Alexander saw a host of
projects and work in progress.
First he saw one of five new water towers which supply fresh, clean water for around 1,800 families which was funded by the UK and cost around £70,000 to build. Then he saw a road building project which is part of plans to transform 25 miles of road in the town.
The road building projects including those which will be built with the £50 million of extra aid will provide much needed jobs for thousands of Afghani people over the next four years.
Mr Alexander then saw work on building a brand new Agricultural High School, one of only two in Afghanistan, to train young farmers to make the best of their land.
He talked with 62-year-old headmaster Abdul Shakur, a father of 10 who said:
“We will open with 317 pupils growing to 600 and we are building a hostel so that students who come from Taliban areas will feel safe here studying in Lashkar Gah.
“It’s thanks to DFID for funding this that the young people have a good future.”
The Secretary of State saw farming in practice next when he looked at DFID
financed water gates on irrigation channels bring the desert to life with green
fields of wheat sprouting.
Later Mr Alexander told a meeting of Helmand provincial councillors:
“I first visited Lashkar Gah almost two years ago and I have seen the work and effort that has been put it and the difference that is being made.
“I had the privilege and opportunity to meet Helmand’s Governor Mangal in London last week and I told him what I am telling you; that the British are committee to working here in Helmand and Afghanistan in general.
“This morning I spoke to President Karzai and I was able to tell him we are committing additional resources to provide roads and rehabilitation of power supplies here in Helmand.
“This is just the latest example of the work that we must do together in a partnership to support economic development in this important province of Afghanistan.”
