Signing of Grant Agreements for Construction of Band-e-Amir-Yakawalang and Mazar-e-Sharif Airport Roads between India and Afghanistan
Mr. Abdul Habib Zadran, Deputy Minister of Finance and Acting Minister signed $10.8 million grant agreements with Vinay Kumar, the Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan at the Ministry of Finance.
Additionally, Mr. ZakariaMohammadi, Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr. Harsh VardhanShringla, Foreign Secretary of India, other Indian guests, and officials of the Ministry of Finance attended the ceremony.
These agreements include the construction of 16.8km at the Band-e-Amir-Yakawlang highway worth $7.81 million; and 2kmof the Mazar-e-Sharif Airport Road worth $3 million. Both these projects will be implemented in the next two years.
"India's assistance to Afghanistan has often been in humanitarian and infrastructure projects; i.e. the Salma Dam, the National Assembly building and the first phase of the Chabahar port. We are grateful for India's assistance and are ready to join forces in the new projects,” said Deputy Minister of Finance about signing the agreements.
"I am pleased to have signed two major agreements today with Afghanistan. We consider Afghanistan one of our strategic partners, and the signing of this agreement is a positive step towards further development of bilateral cooperation” said Mr. Vinay Kumar, the Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan. “Both these projects are vital, especially the Band-e-Amir-Yakawlang highway construction agreement, which will boost the tourism industry in Afghanistan” he added.
Mr. Shringla, Foreign Secretary of India said that these agreements are a symbol of the growing cooperation between the two countries. India is a strategic partner with Afghanistan in the areas of infrastructure. He added that this is his first trip to Afghanistan since his appointment as the Foreign Secretary, and he is interested in further enhancing bilateral relations.
It must be mentioned that India is one of the major donors that has assisted Afghanistan in the last eighteen years withsignificant economic and infrastructure projectsa
