Minister Nasir Ahmad Durrani, the Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan met today in his office with the Country Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for Afghanistan.
In the meeting, that took place at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Minister Durrani thanked the United Nations Children Fund for its ongoing assistance to the MRRD, in particular to the Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Irrigation Program (Ru-WatSIP/MRRD). Also in this meeting Minister Durrani outlined his priorities and more focused on future assistance of UNICEF with the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development.
In return, expressing UNICEF's long -term commitment to supporting the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Country Director of UNICEF said, “In 2016, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will assist with USD 30 million to the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development facilitated by the UNICEF. This way, with the expenditure of this amount many problems of rural people will be resolved in term of lack of water.”
He also added that besides this amount, South Korea will too contribute USD 5 million through the United Nations Children’s Fund with the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD).
Country Director of UNICEF stated that his entity stands ready to provide the Ru-WatSIP with technical support in the area of managing water resources and purchasing of equipments to support the rehabilitation and development of rural communities.
Also in this meeting, he said that UNICEF’s extraordinary session on strengthening of water resources and sanitation will be organized in Ethiopia. Therefore, UNICEF’s Country Director for Afghanistan handed-over invitation of the United Nations Children’s Fund to the MRRD Minister to attend the session. The invitation was returned with thanks from the MRRD Minister’s side.