The project will conduct routine and emergency maintenance work on three critical roads in the province, the Arghanda road, the Panjwai road and the Southern Bypass, all constructed between 2005 and 2007 with funding from Japan. The maintenance work will significantly increase the durability of these 36km of roads and maximize the socio-economic benefit for the people of Kandahar Province.

"Road maintenance is a very important task for Ministry of Public Works (MPW) and I am very happy to announce the start of this new project. I appreciate the cordial relationship between the governments of Japan and Afghanistan," said H.E. Dr. Ahmad Shah Wahid, MPW Deputy Minister.

UNOPS will work closely with the MPW in Kandahar, and provide training to staff of the Maintenance Department as well as urgently needed equipment. This will ensure that MPW's maintenance capacity enhanced and the ministry will be able to continue their work throughout the province after the completion of this one-year project.

The construction of the Arghandab, Panjwai and Southern Bypass roads was also supported by UNOPS and funded by the Government of Japan, under the overall framework of the National Rural Access Program (NRAP). NRAP, one of the most successful programmes of the Government of Afghanistan, has built over 10,000 km of roads across the country.

For further information, please contact Katsui Kaya, E-mail: katsuik@unops.org, Mohammad Ismail Sahil, Tel: 0799 257 584, Email: agoc@unops.org, or Website: www.unops.org