Monitoring Desk
KABUL: Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice-President Shixin Chen and Acting Finance Minister Mohammad Humayon Qayoumi have discussed ways to enhance ADB and Afghanistan’s development partnership and cooperation to boost economic growth and reduce poverty in the country, according to a statement.
Chen recognized the Government of Afghanistan’s progress in economic and financial reforms and the pursuit of self-reliance. He congratulated Afghanistan for the successful Geneva Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan in November 2018, which renewed the partnership of Afghanistan and the international community for the country’s peace, prosperity, and self-reliance.
Qayoumi appreciated ADB’s support for projects related to Afghanistan’s infrastructure development and regional integration. These projects include the Salang Tunnel, Turkmenistan–Uzbekistan–Tajikistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan Power Interconnection, and the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India gas pipeline. The projects help Afghanistan capitalize on its strategic geographical location through regional connectivity.
ADB is one of Afghanistan’s largest development partners. The bank’s assistance is focused on energy; transport; and agriculture, natural resources, and rural development. It also includes support for capacity and institutional development as well as sector reform, particularly for government agencies in these three focus areas of operations. The bank’s support is closely aligned with Afghanistan’s National Peace and Development Framework, Realizing Self-Reliance agenda, National Priority Programs, and various sector master plans. ADB also supports the government’s efforts to better align and coordinate aid among the donor community, and itself collaborates closely with development partners active in Afghanistan.
In the agriculture, natural resources, and rural development sector, ADB is helping to boost food security and create economic opportunities through increased agricultural production, improved farm water management and the development of horticulture value chains, particularly in food processing and packaging. In the energy sector, ADB has helped deliver electricity to more than 5 million people in Afghanistan, who in the past received less than 4 hours of power a day. ADB’s support to the transport sector includes the establishment of the first railway line between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, which carries between 3 to 4 million tons of freight annually.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, ADB is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. (Pajhwok)
