27 August 2008
Statement on Good Performers Initiative Awards for Afghanistan, August 27, 2008(Seven provinces recognized for success in eliminating opium poppy cultivation)
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
August 27, 2008
MEDIA NOTE
Good Performers Initiative Awards
On August 27 the United States transferred a $10 million Good Performers Initiative award to the Government of Afghanistan in a ceremony at the Ministry of Counter Narcotics in Kabul. This award is designated for development projects in Nangarhar in recognition of that province’s success in 2008 in eliminating opium poppy cultivation. Previously, on August 14, the United States transferred $5.5 million of Good Performers Initiative awards to six qualifying Afghan provinces: Logar, Paktia, Panjshir, Wardak, Ghazni and Paktika.
Director of the Narcotics Affairs Section of U.S. Embassy Kabul James Vanlaningham signed the documents transferring the award to the Ministry of Counter Narcotics Minister General Khodaidad in recognition of the achievements made in these provinces.
The Ministry of Counter Narcotics will use the awards to fund development projects in these provinces, which earned Good Performers Initiative awards for successfully reducing poppy cultivation.
Examples of Good Performers Initiative award projects include: the construction of a teachers college building in Paktia ($1.5 million), the purchase of farm machinery for Logar ($1.5 million), the construction of a school dormitory in Paktika ($1.5 million), and the construction of two girls’ schools in Laghman ($485,000). The Ministry of Counter Narcotics, the Governor of Nangarhar and the Provincial Development Council have agreed that the $10 million award will fund the construction of three watershed dams in Nangarhar Province.
For further information regarding the Good Performers Initiative, please contact:
Susan Pittman at (202) 647-2842.
