Kandahar, Afghanistan — The Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages, announced here today that Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will provide nearly $5 million for emergency food aid for tens of thousands of the most vulnerable families in Kandahar Province, who face acute food shortages and internal displacement as winter approaches. The Minister also announced nearly $6 million to finance reconstruction and repair of roads and bridges in Kandahar, as well as to help build rural community services such as clinics and agricultural supports for Afghan farmers and villagers.

"With emergency food aid going to Kandahar Province, Canada is demonstrating yet again its commitment to supporting the Afghanistan Government in its efforts to protect its most vulnerable citizens—women and children," said Minister Verner.

The emergency aid funding announced today will assist the World Food Program (WFP) to deliver food aid to 12,000 vulnerable families from Panjwai and Zherai Districts, who were displaced from their homes during the NATO-led Operation Medusa against anti-government groups. With this funding, WFP will provide 4,400 tonnes of food to vulnerable Afghans throughout the Kandahar region, which has been highly affected by drought.

The Minister made the announcement while on a visit to Afghanistan, during which she met with Canadian Forces and CIDA aid workers with the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team, as well as with Afghan cabinet ministers in Kabul.

"The citizens of Kandahar deserve a better quality of life," said Minister Verner. "This is why Canadians and Afghans are resolute in achieving stability and development in Kandahar. By channelling our support to Afghan national programs for rural reconstruction in the south, the citizens of Kandahar will greatly benefit from improved access to basic services."

The reconstruction funding announced today will enable Afghan national programs to deliver the following projects:

• $3.4 million to support the National Area-Based Development Programme (NABDP), an Afghan Government-led initiative implemented by the United Nations Development Programme. The NABDP focuses on building and rehabilitating schools, government offices, irrigation channels, water wells, health clinics and other critical services in rural communities across the country. These new funds will enable the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) to deliver priority reconstruction projects in all seventeen districts of Kandahar Province, each financed up to $200,000;

• An additional $500,000 each, for both Panjwai and Zherai Districts, will be provided through the United Nations to enable the MRRD to deliver further reconstruction efforts and help these two Districts respond to priority needs of communities who are still recovering from the recent intense conflict;

• $1.5 million to the Afghan Government-led National Rural Access Program (NRAP), also implemented by the UN Development Programme, that focuses on improving a road access network that connects rural households and communities to essential services, while providing badly needed employment for the vulnerable and poor. The funding will enable repairs to critical roads that improve access throughout rural Kandahar, directly benefiting thousands of Afghans throughout the southern region;

• CIDA is recruiting seven local Afghan professionals to support provincial development planning in Kandahar. This newly established Secretariat Support Team will facilitate collaboration and priority-setting by the Kandahar Provincial Development Committee, the key governance and development body of the provincial government.