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Afghan NewsAfghan NewsAfghan News April 2011

H.E. Foreign Minister Dr. Zalmai Rassoul

attended the 2-day NATO-ISAF Foreign

Ministers Meeting in Berlin, Germany on

April 14th and 15th.

In his statement to those in attendance, the

second time he has addressed NATO as

the Foreign Minister, H.E. Dr. Rassoul

expressed gratitude for the contributions of

NATO and its member states to Afghani-

stan since 2001, stating “We do realize, as

I am sure you do, that together we have

been through some hard times and have

had to overcome difficult challenges.

However, together we have also achieved

tremendous successes.”

H.E. Dr. Rassoul’s speech focused on the

security transition beginning in seven

provinces and districts this summer, de-

scribing the comprehensive steps being

Inside this issue:

Latest News

taken in preparation, such as ensuring

transparency and further increasing re-

gional cooperation, as well as the steps

still to be taken. H.E. also encouraged

international dedication to employment

generation in Afghanistan through in-

vestment and support in the agriculture,

energy, mining, and education sectors.

The full speech can be read at http://

www.afghanistan-un.org/2011/04/

statement-by-h-e-foreign-minister-dr-

zalmai-rassoul-at-the-nato-isaf-foreign-

ministers-meeting/

(photo: H.E. Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, Minis-

ter of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan

(left) and NATO Secretary General, An-

ders Fogh Rasmussen)

Latest News Pg.1-４

Interview with

Watanabe Yoi-

chi

Pg. ５

Recipe corner Pg. ６

Select Develop-

ment Indicators

• Literacy rates

will have tripled

over the next

decade

• Since 2001 the

GDP has tripled,

making it on par

with China in its

double digit eco-

nomic growth

rate

• In 2010, health

facilities that

provide TB con-

trol services

have increased

from 36 (in

2002) to 1061

H.E. Foreign Minister Rassoul attends NATO-ISAF Meeting

2

Afghan News, November 1010 Afghan News, April 2011

Conference on the Creation of

Safe Agricultural and Animal

Products Held in Kabul

The Ministry of Agriculture and irri-

gation organized the first conference

on the creation of a system to ensure

the safety of food and plant and ani-

mal products. The conference, which

lasted 3 days, brought together over

100 specialists and experts in agri-

culture and animal husbandry from

across the country to discus how to

ensure the of agriculture and animal

National Postal Code Established

A national postal code has been

established. The system’s base is

the provincial divisions, numbered

10 to 43; these are then further

subdivided at the city/district level

to further create specific postal

codes. New postal branches are

being planned around the nation to

take advantage of this strengthened

system.

Highlights of school building,

openings

In Badghis, after one year of con-

struction, a new building with six

classrooms and two administrative

rooms have been opened for a

girl’s elementary school in the

Qadis district.

In Balkh, a new 24-classroom,

eight-administrative room building

for a girl’s high school in the Nahri

Shahi district has been opened.

Also, in Balkh, a new 16-

classroom, eight administrative

room building for Fatima Alzahra

Middle School in Mazar-e Shariff

is to be built over the next year.

In Kunduz, construction work on

two schools, one with 8 classrooms

and the other with 16 classrooms,

have been completed near Kunduz

city. In addition, a school building

for Khaja Pastah Middle School in

Khanabad district will be built over

a period of six months. Once com-

pleted, it will have eight class-

rooms and four administrative

rooms.

Ambassador Dr. Sayed M. Amin

Fatimie, Embassy officials, and Af-

ghan residents of Japan displayed

their solidarity with the victims of

March 11th’s tragic Tohoku earth-

quake and tsunami through the or-

ganization of a council dedicated to

supporting the survivors.

The council members, which in-

cludes Mr. Jafar Ahmadyar, who

heads the council, Mr. Haji Hussein

as treasurer, and Mr. Amin Kohi

serving as auditor, were decided

upon in a meeting of more than 20

representatives, encompassing all

ethnicities and groups in Afghani-

stan.

The council was able to gather

1,841,000 yen in funds, with which,

at the request of the prefactural gov-

ernment of Ibaraki, will be used to

purchase gas stoves and other sup-

plies for evacuees from Fukushima

who will live in temporary housing

in Ibaraki. The council and Embassy

officials will personally deliver

these items to the evacuees.

Afghans in Japan show solidarity

with disaster victims

The Afghan Red Crescent Society,

through the initiative of its president,

Ms. Fatima Gaillani, has collected

funds in Afghanistan to send to the

victims of March 11th’s earthquake

and tsunami.

President Gaillani, who immediately

spoke with Ambassador Dr. Sayed

M. Amin Fatimie following the inci-

dences, and her staff and volunteers,

were generously supported by many

who have deeply appreciated Japa-

nese support to improving Afghani-

stan.

Red Crescent Society Collects

Funds for Victims of Japanese

Disasters

3

Afghan News, April 2011

Orchards Planted in Samangan

Tens of new almond, apple, apricot,

and grape orchards have been planted

in an 819-acre area in the Roy Do

Aab and Hazrat Sultan districts of

Samangan province. The grafted sap-

lings imported from Kabul, Maidan-

Wardak and Balkh provinces and dis-

tributed to local farmers, along with 3

kilograms of grape and vegetable

seeds and 20 kilograms of fertilizer.

Women’s Vocational Training

Programs Launched

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs,

with the cooperation of Italian Co-

operation Agency, has launched

training programs for women in

the fields of carpentry, literacy,

computer skills, recitation of the

Holy Quran, and electrical engi-

neering as a part of a ten-year

program to facilitate greater self-

sufficiency. The ministry also built

a new women’s gym and has plans

to build 16 women’s gardens

around Kabul city and a number of

other provinces.

The “On Farm Water Management

Program” has been established to

assist with major irrigation work in

Nangarhar, Kabul, Balkh, Herat,

and Bamiyan provinces, the results

of which will improve 50,000 hec-

tares and help 120,000 farming

families by increasing harvests and

irrigated lands by 10% each.

Land-owners and other beneficiar-

ies cover 10% of the costs, labor,

and/or materials. The project will

also choose and strengthen mirabs

(those people responsible for local

water management), by teaching

new technologies and techniques to

save water and ensure its fair distri-

bution.

Five demonstration farms will be

built to show farmers and mirab-

members how to save water using

the latest technology. Work with

this technology has already begun,

and will be completed within the

next four years.

Work in Kabul and Nangarhar

provinces is now in progress, and

soon other provinces will follow.

Already twelve irrigation associa-

tions have been established; eight

in Kabul and four in Nangarhar

province. This program is sup-

ported by the World Bank.

Afghanistan is working with China

and a number of other nations to

create the “Silk Track” railway,

which like the old Silk Road will

create a link between Europe and

the Far East. The track will facili-

tate improved transport and trade.

The track will move from Afghani-

stan to Europe in one direction,

passing through Iran and Turkey;

and in the other to China, passing

through Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Silk Track Railway to connect

Afghanistan to China, Europe

Two New Maternity Hospitals

Opened in Wardak

Two new one-storey, 30-bed mater-

nity hospitals were recently opened

in the Wardak province after 16

months of construction with the as-

sistance of the Bayat Foundation.

The Bibi Khairi Gul hospital was

built in Hessa Dowom and the Shirin

Taj Hospital was built in the Tagaab

Village; both of these hospitals’ cor-

nerstones were laid under the then

Minister of Public Health, now Am-

bassador to Japan, Sayed M. Amin

Fatimie. . These specific locations

were chosen because they are con-

sidered to have the highest maternal

mortality rates. Both hospitals fea-

ture operating rooms, delivery

rooms, post-op recovery rooms,

pharmacies, doctors’ offices, and

other facilities.

Media House Established in

Balkh

A media house has been built in

Balkh with the aim of supporting

reporters, especially those in the

northern provinces, through such

initiatives as creating better coordi-

nation between reporters and ad-

dressing other problems that they

may face.

The “Afghanistan Media House” is

made up of seven committees in-

cluding the cultural, social, politi-

cal, monitoring and external, finan-

cial, and administrative sections.

“On Farm water management

program” to play vital role

4

Afghan News, April 2011

New Cargo Airline Aims to Cre-

ate More Access; Speed up Deliv-

ery

East Horizon Airlines, Afghani-

stan’s newest cargo airline, is in

negotiations to expand its service

network beyond Afghanistan, with

its first international destinations

likely to include the UAE, China,

and India. The carrier group aims to

move materials across the country

more safely and quickly than is al-

ready being done and to bring fast,

safe and reliable air cargo service

to remote cities and towns, which

have had little to no air cargo ser-

vice before. East Horizon Airlines

will likely begin cargo operations

Recently researchers found in the

central highlands a 210.6 foot natu-

ral stone arch, which they have

named “Hazarchishma Natural

Bridge;” it is the world’s 12 largest

natural land bridge. The structure is

almost 1000 feet above sea level,

making it one of the highest large

natural bridges in the world. “The

arch is emblematic of the natural

marvels that still await discovery in

Afghanistan” claims Joe Walston

the Director of the Wildlife Conser-

vation Society’s Asia Program.

Giant Natural Arch Found

The Kabul National Museum opened

a brand new exhibition to display a

range of artefacts recently excavated

in the Logar province located ap-

proximately 30 km south-east of Ka-

bul. The remains of pits, wells, and

smelting furnaces as well as the

name of the site that can be trans-

lated as ‘little copper well’, clearly

indicate the area has been the focus

of copper working since ancient

times. It is important that the amaz-

ing archaeological finds are on dis-

play in Afghanistan, so the Afghans

could learn to accept, respect, and

appreciate its pre-Islamic heritage.

Afghan Heritage on Display for

the Afghan People

In Mehterlam, Laghman, work has

been completed on a 120-meter re-

taining wall, protecting 500 families

from flooding; a social center has

also been built in the area.

A stretch of 10.78 kilometers of

Ghor street will be paved with fund-

ing provided by Japan.

Eight development projects have

been completed in the Bagrami dis-

trict of the Kabul province, includ-

ing the repair and gravelling of 5000

meters of road, the construction of

18 culverts, the digging of seven

water wells, and the construction of

one Community Center, 1363 me-

ters of small irrigation canals, and a

249 meter retaining wall. These pro-

jects benefit 1490 rural families in

eight villages.

In the Kurkh district of Herat prov-

ince, a 315 meter canal and retaining

wall have been completed to rectify

the shortage of agricultural water.

Construction of a 318 meter retain-

ing wall in Durkhil village in the

Rukha district of Panjshir province

has begun. The wall will protect the

gardens of Durkhil village as well as

residential homes.

In Kunduz, 191 development pro-

jects have been successfully com-

pleted, including the construction of

158 kilometers of road, construction

of 1275 bridges and culverts, the

digging of 559 water wells, the es-

tablishment of tailoring courses and

the distribution of 700 tailoring ma-

chines, the establishment of 60 liter-

acy courses, ten rug weaving cen-

ters, one suspension bridge, and the

digging of water reservoirs in the

villages of Chahar Dara, Ali Abad,

Khan Abad, Qal-e-Zal, Dasht-e-

Archi and Imam Sahib districts and

in the vicinity of Kunduz city. These

projects benefit a total of 117,515

families.

Development Progresses Nation-

wide

A water supply network has been

completed after one-year in the Ali

Abad district of Balkh province, giv-

ing 750 rural families access to safe

drinking water. This network con-

tains one well, two water storage

units with a capacity of 60,000 liters,

and the installation of a generator

and related equipment.

Construction projects are underway

in Paktika to expand the province's

current 150 miles of paved roads.

The roads include a 45 degree-

inclined path up a central mountain,

and another highway passing into

Pakistan via one of the four border

crossings. Also an additional stretch

of road will connect that border

crossing with the nearly complete

‘ring road’ that traces a circuit

around the entire country. These

roads will provide Paktika's roughly

500,000 residents, almost all of

which are farmers, with access to

public and private assistance to im-

prove crop yields and to markets to

sell product surplus.

5

Afghan News, April 2011

Afghan News, April 2011

Interview with

Yoichi Watanabe

Yoichi Watanabe is a recently popu-

lar Japanese Photojournalist. His

unique way of talking, reassuring

and calming, has become his trade-

mark. Currently at 38 years old, Wa-

tanabe has traveled to more than 180

countries in the past 18 years of his

profession. He recently finished a

tour with the American forces in Af-

ghanistan.

Back to back victories for na-

tional football team!

The national soccer team played

against Bhutan in the Asian

Football Confederation’s (AFC)

Challenge Cup 2012 pre-

qualifying round in Gurgaon,

India, winning twice in two

games, (3-0 and 2-0 respec-

tively). With the victories, Af-

ghanistan qualified to join Group

D of the AFC Challenge Cup

qualifying round, which is

scheduled to be held from April

7-11 in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Competing against Afghanistan

in Group D will be North Korea,

Sri Lanka, and Nepal

What made you interested in Af-

ghanistan and inspired you to go

there the first time?

I was curious about the true situation

in Afghanistan, as opposed to what

was on TV, and wanted to see it with

my own eyes.

Has anything on your visits to Af-

ghanistan made a strong impression

on you?

I was impressed by kindness of the

Afghan people and how much they

value their families.

Can you give us an example?

I was impressed so many times. Peo-

ple pay great respect to the elderly

and those who are in trouble. They

are very kind and considerate

to everyone.

If you could give one message to

people about Afghanistan, what

would you tell them?

Afghanistan is not only a battlefield.

Its government and business con-

tinue to develop. I want people to

know there is hope for the country.

How do you think Afghanistan has

been improving ?

The education environment has been

getting increasing its capacity and

effectiveness, improving women’s

chances of receiving education.

You often spend time with the chil-

dren of Afghanistan, what do you

want for them?

I want them to value their nation’s

history and traditions. I want them to

feel close ties with Japan and the

world.

How do Afghans feel about Japanese

people from your experiences?

There are many Japonophiles in Af-

ghanistan. I was glad to know that

the people want to know Japan more.

I could confirm that Afghanistan and

Japan have a deep connection.

As a camera man in Afghanistan and

a Japanese TV personality, how can

you contribute to Afghanistan?

I can bridge a gap between people’s

image and the way it actually is. I

would like to make opportunities for

people to get to know Afghanistan. Afghanistan's national football

(soccer) team

Photographs taken by Yoichi

Watanabe in Afghanistan

6

Afghan News, April 2011

Abdul Rauf Lugali’s Kitchen

Ingredients

Preparation

The Embassy chef, who is nicknamed “Baba-jan” (or uncle) will offer an Afghan recipe from his kitchen to yours

each month. This month, we feature a food that is a traditional dish for Afghan families, Chicken Kabuli.

(Serves eight)

• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled

• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped

• 3 medium tomatoes, quartered

• 250 g plain yogurt

• 180 ml vegetable oil

• 1 1/2 kg chicken breasts, boned, skinned, and cubed

• 1/2 teaspoon mace

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

• 2 tablespoons blanched almonds, ground

• 1 teaspoon cardamom, ground

• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground

• 1 teaspoon coriander, ground

• 1/2 teaspoon fennel, ground

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 125 ml double cream

• 2 -3 teaspoons black peppercorns, coarsely ground

• 4 -5 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped (coriander)

1. Process the garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and yogurt in a food processor until they are a fine purée.

2. Combine the oil and the puréed mixture in a large heavy-bottomed pan, prefera-bly one with a non-stick surface. Place the pan over medium-high heat, and cook --

stirring constantly to prevent sticking and burning - until the mixture reduces to a

thick sauce and the fat begins to separate (about 15 minutes).

3. Add the chicken pieces and stir the mixture until it loses its pink color. Sear for 5 minutes, but do not let its color turn brown.

4. Add the mace, nutmeg, almonds, cardamom, cumin, coriander, fennel and salt, and mix well.

5. Reduce heat and cover the pan. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.

6. Uncover and continue cooking for another 15 minutes (or until the chicken is ten-der).

7. Stir in the cream, black pepper and cilantro/coriander leaves, and turn off heat.

8. Leave the dish covered for at least 1 hour. Reheat thoroughly when ready to be served.

Embassy of Afghanistan in

Tokyo 2-2-1 Azabudai,

Minato ward, Tokyo

106-0041

Tel: 03-5574-7611

Fax: 03-5574-0195

www.afghanembassyjp.org

pratt@afghanembassyjp.org

Afghan News, April 2011