Development minister Bert Koenders this morning signed a three-year contract for 34 million euros with a German development organisation active in the Afghan province of Uruzgan.
The organisation, the Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), works to improve market accessibility for farmers and sets up small enterprises, cooperatives, and other income-generating projects. It also helps provincial and district administrations carry out their tasks, and it plans to construct an important road between Chora and Taren Kowt, which will benefit trade and development in Uruzgan.
Mr Koenders is keen to work with the German organisation. 'The Dutch government has promised to focus more closely on construction in Uruzgan, and working with GTZ is an important first step,' he said. 'Not only will this make an important contribution to Uruzgan's economic development. By strengthening local governance, it will also increase the Afghan profile in reconstruction.'