Minister Oda Concludes Visit to Afghanistan: Measured the progress of Canadian aid projects
The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister
of International Cooperation with
Education Minister Farook Wardak
Backgrounders:
KABUL, May 20, 2010 – Today, the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation and Vice-Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Afghanistan, concluded a visit to Afghanistan where she monitored the success of Canadian aid in reaching benchmarks for irrigation projects, agricultural programs and education.
“The one message I heard very clearly over the past few days in the discussions in both Kandahar and Kabul is that Afghans are seeing the results of Canada’s effort,” said Minister Oda, whose last visit to Afghanistan was in January 2009. “I was also able to emphasize that Canada will continue to deliver development programming and humanitarian aid after 2011.”
While in Kandahar, Minister Oda reviewed progress on key development initiatives that support the goal of improving access to education, as well as improving the ability of the Government of Afghanistan to deliver core services to its people.
At the Arghandab Valley community centre, the Minister was updated by Governor Toorylai Wesa on the significant progress being made on the rehabilitation of canals running through the Arghandab valley and the heart of Kandahar province. The canal system rehabilitation is part of the Dahla Dam signature project that will enable the effective flow of irrigation water to the province’s key agricultural areas. In the past few months 85,000 cubic metres or the equivalent of 4,500 standard-sized dump trucks full of silt has been removed from the canals, which reach over 80 percent of Kandaharis.
Minister Oda also monitored the significant economic growth and agricultural programming that builds on the irrigation projects. To help re-establish a robust agro-economy in Kandahar province, Canada is supporting the distribution of livestock and is providing training, aiming to increase the production of meat and dairy products. Canadian support has also helped to build greenhouses and nurseries that lengthen the growing season in Kandahar.
At the tail end of the Arghandab irrigation system, the Minister viewed the land at Tarnak Farms (formerly an al-Qaeda training camp) that is now being rehabilitated. Once complete, it will serve as a hub for agricultural development in southern Afghanistan where training in agricultural expertise, plant production, animal husbandry, agricultural economics, business and marketing, and rural development can be delivered.
Canada is the lead donor to Afghanistan’s national education sector through the Education Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP) and is working with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education to increase the access to and improve the quality of basic education. While in Kandahar, the Minister participated in a roundtable discussion on education.
One of Canada’s signature projects in the region is the construction of 50 schools. In her briefing, the Minister was told that 16 are complete, 27 are under construction and the remainder are largely contracted. The Minister’s visit to Kabul also enabled her to meet with the Afghan Minister of Education, Farook Wardak, as well as the Ministry’s Director General of Teacher Education, Susan Wardak.
In Kabul, Minister Oda met with the UN’s Special Representative to the Secretary-General, Staffan de Mistura, Afghan Minister of Finance Omar Zakhiwal, Afghan Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Mohamannad Asif Rahimi and Afghan opinion leaders. She also participated in a roundtable discussion on humanitarian assistance, and received updates on the upcoming Peace Jirga and Kabul Conference.
Meetings with the Afghan Deputy Minister of Public Health, Dr. Nadera Hayat Burhai, and with implementing partners offered the Minister an opportunity to discuss aid effectiveness, maternal and child health initiatives and polio eradication efforts. The success of the polio campaign and continued work were outlined.
Canada's aid in Afghanistan will amount to $1.9B over the ten-year period ending in 2011, making Canada one of the largest donors. In the 2008/2009 fiscal year, Canada disbursed approximately $224M in development and reconstruction funding in Afghanistan.
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For further information:
Jessica Fletcher
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Cooperation
Telephone: 819-953-6238
Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency
Telephone: 819-953-6534
E-mail: media@acdi-cida.gc.ca
