Completion of the Kandahar-Herat Highway

July 7, 2009
Japanese

Reconstruction on the main thoroughfare leading from Kandahar towards Herat, one of the most important trunk roads for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has been completed due to grant aid provided by the Government of Japan.
The work accomplished on the Kandahar-Herat highway is a reflection of the significant progress made between the Government of Afghanistan and the international community towards the reconstruction of the “ring road” that loops the country and connects its major cities, thus serving as a principal transit route and distribution network within Afghanistan. The Kandahar-Herat highway (totaling 555 km) starts from Kandahar, Kandahar province in southwest Afghanistan and spans west through to Herat, Afghanistan. Japan extended 10.8 billion yen of aid for the reconstruction of the 114 km segment that connects the city of Kandahar, Kandahar Province to the city of Grishk, Helmand Province, a vital section of the Kandahar-Herat highway.
Due to over 20 years of wars in Afghanistan, major trunk roads connecting the country have been disrupted. Therefore, the prerequisite for achieving economic and social development in the country hinges on Afghanistan’s transportation networks being restored. To this end, the Government of Afghanistan has raised the development of infrastructure as one of its priority areas.
With the firm resolve to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a breeding ground for terrorism, Japan has been actively supporting efforts to realize stability in the country by providing humanitarian and reconstruction assistance, while also contributing to initiatives related to counter-terrorism and security in Afghanistan. Japan has pledged a total of 2 billion USD in the field of humanitarian and reconstruction assistance, of which 1.78 billion USD has been implemented in various endeavors such as humanitarian relief, support for the democratic process, improvements to security, human resource development, economic infrastructure, etc. Japan is committed to providing assistance for the reconstruction of Afghanistan in order to encourage Afghanistan’s mid-to-long term self-reliance, as well as economic and social development in the country.

(END)