KABUL (TOLOnews): Japan’s outgoing ambassador to Kabul, Takashi Okada, said that providing governance according to the wishes of people will be key for a bright future in Afghanistan. The Japanese ambassador, who participated in the ceremony announcing Japan’s assistance of $10 million with the UNDP to support Afghan women in private sector, expressed his country’s support for the people of Afghanistan.
“Today the civil war is over which lasted for forty years, there is an opportunity for the people of Afghanistan to build a sustainable peace and prosperity. If the current leaders of this country provides a better governance in accordance with the wishes of people and if they choose the path of cooperation with the international community the future can be bright,” said Takashi Okada, The Japanese Ambassador in Kabul.
The Japanese ambassador further added that the change in the government, economic collapse and natural disasters are the root causes of current humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Takashi Okada insisted that the exclusion of women from Afghanistan’s economy has adversely affected the sector. “Exclusion of women from the economy of Afghanistan is estimated to amount to a loss of 4 to 7 percent of its GDP,” said Takashi Okada, the Japanese Ambassador in Kabul. Japan is providing UNDP with $10 million to support Afghan women’s activities in Afghanistan’s private sector.
Stephen Rodriques, UNDP’s representative for Afghanistan, said that the program- Strengthening Women’s Economic Activity in the Private Sector- will support 1400 women in seven provinces of Afghanistan. “The project as you have heard will support 1,400 women as well as 140 women-led small businesses in seven provinces of Afghanistan,” said Stephen Rodriques, UNDP’s representative for Afghanistan. the project is planned to start in October this year and continue till September 2025 in Afghanistan’s Kunar, Logar, Kandahar, Zabul, Baghlan, Kunduz and Kapisa provinces, and is aimed at supporting women in the private sector.
