Canada’s Six Priorities in Afghanistan
Backgrounder
CANADA’S SIX PRIORITIES IN AFGHANISTAN
In Kandahar
1. Maintain a more secure environment and establish law and order by building the capacity of the Afghan National Army and Police, and supporting complementary efforts in the areas of justice and corrections.
2. Provide jobs, education, and essential services, like water.
3. Provide humanitarian assistance to people in need, including refugees.
4. Enhance the management and security of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
In Afghanistan (nationally)
5. Build Afghan institutions that are central to our Kandahar priorities and support democratic processes such as elections.
6. Contribute to Afghan-led political reconciliation efforts aimed at weakening the insurgency and fostering a sustainable peace.
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA’S INVESTMENT IN IMPROVED EDUCATION FOR KANDAHAR GIRLS AND BOYS
On May 7, 2009, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the Government of Canada will provide an additional $2 million in funding to UNICEF to assist almost 18,000 children in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Through UNICEF, and in partnership with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education in Kandahar, this program will:
- improve education for 7,000 children through the establishment of 200 Accelerated Learning Programme Centres;
- contribute to school construction and the furnishing of classrooms to benefit over 11,000 children as part of Canada’s education signature project to build and reconstruct 50 schools in Kandahar’s key districts;
- strengthen the ability of the Afghan Ministry of Education in Kandahar to administer its education programme;
- provide a 10-month literacy course for 2,500 women.
This investment builds on Canada’s previous $4.5 million contribution to UNICEF for this project and is designed, in particular, to improve access to education for girls in Kandahar.
ABOUT THE DAHLA DAM
The Dahla Dam and irrigation system, located in the heart of the province of Kandahar, is Afghanistan’s second largest dam. Eighty percent of Kandahar’s population lives along the irrigation system. Since it was built in the 1950s, years of disrepair have left the dam and irrigation system functioning at reduced capacity.
One of Canada’s six priorities for moving forward on Afghanistan is to help strengthen the Afghan government’s institutional capacity to deliver core services and promote economic growth. The repair of the Dahla Dam and its irrigation system directly addresses this priority.
Canada will invest up to $50 million* over three years to implement the following activities related to the initiative:
- Repairs to the Dahla Dam, such as replacing generators and repairing water valves to improve the control of water flow;
- fixing gates to control the flow of water from the Arghandab River into the canal system;
- repairs to the canals, including desilting;
- support in establishing the Arghandab Sub-basin water management body, which will take the lead in managing the area’s water system in consultation with local stakeholders; and
- training farmers in water management and new crop production techniques.
