DFID announces £4.5
million aid to boost trade at Afghanistan's Helmand Airfield
DEPARTMENT FOR
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT News Release (Afghanistan) issued by COI
News Distribution Service on 3 June 2009
The Department for
International Development today announced £4.5 million of aid to
boost trade from Helmand's renovated airfield, which was
officially opened today, June 3.
USAID, who work with DFID in the Helmand Provincial
Reconstruction Team, have turned a gravel airstrip into a tarmac
runway capable of taking modern civil aircraft connecting Helmand
with the rest of Afghanistan and opening up the province for trade.
Bost Airfield is the only completely civilian airstrip in
Southern Afghanistan and is the new gateway to Helmand province.
DFID funding will build on USAID work, and will pay for access
roads, security fencing and a new administration block for a
business centre alongside the airfield.
The centre will be the focus of food processing so that
farmers' produce from the fertile Helmand valley can be
prepared for food markets around the country.
The new developments will strengthen counter narcotics work by
giving farmers a further incentive to plant legal food crops
rather than illegal poppy.
At the opening British Ambassador to Afghanistan Mark Sedwill
said: "This new investment will improve the security,
infrastructure and airport facilities need to turn an airfield
into a thriving business centre.
"Together with the agricultural centre next door , it will
help to strengthen Helmand's farming productivity and create
more jobs for local people.
"The opening of the airfield is a symbol of hope and future
progress for the people of Helmand."
Background notes
On behalf of the Governor and Ministry of Transport, USAID has
completed the surfacing of the 2km airstrip and the refurbishment
of the terminal building.
USAID has also started construction of an agricultural centre,
adjacent to the airfield. In line with the airport and
agricultural centre masterplan, and building on initial USAID
work, DFID has agreed to undertake additional improvements to both
sites, costing up to £4.5 million.
This work includes: an internal access road to the terminal
building, security infrastructure, barriers to improve safety,
parking areas, an external access road to the agriculture centre,
an administration building at the agriculture centre, and
technical support to the agriculture centre.
The airfield opening was attended by Helmand's Governor
Gubal Mangal, Afghan Government Ministers, Helmand MPs and the US
Ambassador Karl Eikenberry.
Contact: David Rigby, DFID press office 0207 023 0821
DFID, the Department for International Development: leading the
British government's fight against world poverty. One in five
people in the world today, over 1 billion people, live in poverty
on less than one dollar a day.
Information Department 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE.
Website: http://www.dfid.gov.uk
Press enquiries 020 7023 0600 (overseas +44 20 7023
0600)
Public enquiries 0845 300 4100 (overseas +44 1355 84 3132)