Kabul, 7th June 2007: On Sunday June 10, Afghanistan's News Beginnings Programme (ANBP) will hand over the Central Weapons Collection Point (WCP) to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) during a special ceremony. This hand over will include 31,966 units of weapons of which 25,076 are serviceable and 994 are antique weapons whilst the unserviceable weapons are currently being destroyed by Halo Trust, ANBP's implementing partner.
The handover ceremony will take place at 10:00 AM at the WCP of Afghanistan's National Army Corps compound in Pol-e- Charkhi, Kabul
This special ceremony will be attended by high level delegations from the MoD, UNDP, UNAMA, ISAF, CSTC-A and ANBP as well the representatives from the Embassies of Japan, Canada, the EU, WRA and Halo Trust.
In late 2003, ANBP first took official responsibility of the WCP to facilitate the transportation and safe storage of weapons collected/verified across the country and to build capacity within the Ministry of Defence. This decision was taken in order to facilitate the needs of the the Disarmament, Demobilization & Reintegration (DDR) and later the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups projects.
DDR was launched in April 2003 to assist the Government of Afghanistan in dissolving the Afghan Military Forces . DDR was successfully completed in June 2006. ANBP is now involved in two security-related projects: the Anti-Personnel Mines & Ammunition Stockpile Destruction Project and the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG).
Journalists interested in attending the ceremony can contact ANBP's press office. Transport to to/from Pol-e-Charkhi may be provided.
Media Contact
Rashed Easar
Public Information Officer
Mobile: 0799 233 937
reasar@anbpafg.org
www.undpanbp.org
Somah Ibrahimi
Public Information Assistant
0700 72 577
sibrahimi@anbpafg.org.