12 November 2002

Afghan Highway Reconstruction Officially Launched, November 12, 2002

(U.S. pledged $80 million towards 36 month project)

Reconstruction of Afghanistan's main highway, stretching from Kabul through Kandahar to Herat officially began with a November 10 ground breaking ceremony officiated by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Robert Finn.

According to a November 10 press release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the 1000 kilometer road is Afghanistan's main highway, and the project will take approximately 36 months to complete.

The press release said the three donors for the project, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United States, together pledged $180 million, with $80 million of that sum coming from the United States.

Following is the text of a USAID press release on the highway groundbreaking ceremony:
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U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-4320 2002-126

November 10, 2002
Contact: USAID Press Office

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN -- On Sunday, November 10, Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai and U.S. Ambassador Robert P. Finn officiated a ground breaking ceremony to mark the first day of construction of Afghanistan's main highway, known as Highway 1, from Kabul to Kandahar to Herat. U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Representative in Kabul, Elisabeth Kvitashvili, attended, as well as representatives of co-funding partners Saudi Arabia and Japan will attend.

Reconstruction of the more than 1,000 kilometer highway will take an estimated 36 months to complete and will employ thousands of Afghans. The project will cost an estimated $250 million; $180 million has been pledged to date from the United States, Japan and Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. Commitment

The United States will provide $80 million through the USAID. This includes USAID funding for de-mining efforts along the highway, which will be carried out by the United Nations Mine Action Center.

"We'll help develop a modern infrastructure so that Afghan entrepreneurs will be able to move products from one city to the next, and so that people will be able to find work, they'll be able to put food on the table," pledged U.S. President George Bush. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has stated that reconstruction for the country's principal road system is key to Afghanistan's economic recovery.

The U.S. - supported reconstruction begins south of Kabul. When winter weather conditions require suspension of work on the Kabul to Kandahar portion, USAID will commence work on the Kandahar to Herat portion. This will allow for year-round construction.

Engineering design and supervision services are provided by the Louis Berger Company. Afghan Reconstruction Company (ARC) is responsible for construction of the initial 49 kilometers of the road.

A Collaborative Effort

In collaboration with the Islamic Transitional Government of Afghanistan, the United States, Japan, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia agreed in September to reconstruct the highway. The Japanese government is expected to contribute $50 million and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia $50 million. The Japanese government will begin its reconstruction operations from Kandahar to Kabul by the end of the year.

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