Germany to grant 70m Euro to Afghanistan

KABUL (PAN): Germany will grant 70 million Euro to Afghanistan for reconstruction programmes in the current year. The contract of grant was inked on Thursday between Wahidullah Shahrani, deputy of finance ministry and Dr. Hans Ulrich seidt, German ambassador to Afghanistan. Washidullah Shahrani, on the occasion said the grant has been issued after German experts assessed Afghanistan requirement. According German embassy, economic experts of Germany arrived to Kabul three days back to assess and visit Afghanistan development programmes. Shahrani said according German experts 14 million Euros will be spent on water reconstruction projects, 10 million on rural development, 10 million on road constructions, 5 million on reconstruction of Mahipar water dame, and 3 million will be spent on power supply. He added 5.5 million will be spent on capacity building, one million on gender equity, one million on micro debts, and 0.5 million will be spent to provide technical support to Afghan government. He said 20 million Euros will be separated for ARTF, NSP from MRRD in 34 provinces of Afghanistan. Lldo Welar, German economic representative in a press conference in Kabul said the grant will be spent in Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Badakhshan and Kunduz province. According Shahrani Germany grants 70 million Euros for reconstruction and 70 million more for law enforcement, police training and others to Afghanistan annually. German ambassador said in the press conference during last few years there were development in reconstruction programmes, but were not sufficient. He reminded that Afghanistan needed more aid, and Germany is ready to provide long term aid to Afghanistan. He said Germany spent 680 million Euros in last six years for reconstruction, and by end of 2010 the money will raise to one billion Euros.